Intelligence
by Mister Cynical
Summary: Sometimes the people you're supposed to trust are the ones you shouldn't and the people you shouldn't trust are the only ones who want to see you live.
1. Chapter 1: Coincidences

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter One: Coincidences

"This had better be good, Gehlen!" Asuka Sohryu snapped as she stormed into the office. The room's sole occupant, a slight light-haired man, barely batted an eyebrow at her righteous anger.

"I like to think that I always come up with good things," Reinhard Gehlen commented. "Have a seat Miss Sohryu." Asuka sat down across from the man and scowled at him over his desk. She wasn't supposed to be at work until seven. It was four thirty. Needless to say, she was rather pissed off.

"So, what do you need now Gehlen?" Asuka asked as she took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"You lived in Tokyo-3 for four years, correct?" Asuka frowned. Tokyo-3? She hadn't been there for six years.

"That's right," she stated slowly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Tokyo-3 is the headquarters for NERV," Reinhard stated. Asuka's anger began to return.

"I know that," she growled. "I worked for them. It's all in my dossier, which you have."

"I know."

"Then why don't you tell me why the hell I'm here?" Asuka exploded. The old intelligence analyst smirked. Sometimes Asuka truly believed that the man liked provoking her for some reason.

"After the Angel Wars, NERV was brought under the jurisdiction of the Japanese government," Reinhard explain. "It's a massive brain trust. Some of the smartest people in the world work there. They are contracted for unusual problems that require creative solutions." This was news to Asuka.

"So what do you want me to do?" she asked.

"We've been tracking a scientific ship from the Japanese government," Reinhard explained. "They've been exploring national waters. We believe they've found something."

"Oil?" Asuka ventured.

"It's quite possible," Reinhard explained. "Whatever it is, the Japanese are swarming. If it's enough to get them going, then it's enough to interest us."

"You don't even know what it is?" Asuka asked with a frown. She wasn't used to her bosses not knowing something.

"We've been trying to figure that out," Reinhard explain. "However, the JSISDF has begun a major crack down on all foreign intelligence capabilities."

"The what?" Asuka asked.

"The Japanese Strategic Information Self Defense Force," Reinhard stated. "Don't they teach you young people anything?"

"They teach us plenty!" Asuka snapped. "What the hell is the ISDF doing operation like that? It's against their charter."

"Charters change," Reinhard replied. "With China still in civil war after the Second Impact, no other Asian country has the power to protest. Internally the ISDF works as counter intelligence; abroad they act as intelligence."

"All the agencies are cracking down right now," Asuka commented. "They always have been actually and it's never stopped our kind."

"This is different," Reinhard stated. "The Japanese have been doing their homework. They've flown in American CIA and NSA officers to act as instructors."

"The CIA?" Asuka demanded derisively. "Those incompetents? What the hell are you worried about? They'll be so wrapped up in bureaucracies that they won't be able to do a damned thing!"

"The men they've chose are old-school Intel," Reinhard explained. "We're talking about Cold War-era officers. These men are why the CIA is feared to this day."

"So the Japanese have a bunch of old guys training them," Asuka summarized.

"They aren't showing a lot of mercy," Reinhard stated. "Quite a few times, official case officers have disappeared and never reported in."

"They can't do that," Asuka protested. "It's illegal!"

"They can and they probably are," Reinhard corrected. "They just aren't supposed to. What are the governments going to do? Ask for their spies back and be humiliated on television? We aren't that important."

"What about their official titles?" Asuka asked.

"Sure, we've asked what happened to this secretary or that aide and we've gotten the same answer," Reinhard stated, "must've wandered into the wrong part of town."

"You want me to go into Tokyo-3," Asuka stated. Reinhard nodded. "I haven't been there in a long time. I kept meaning to call my friends, but I never got around to it."

"Now's as good a time as any," Reinhard commented. "Contact us in a week and watch your back. Japan has become a very dangerous place for foreign intelligence officers." Asuka glanced out the window at the beautiful view of Tokyo-2 that Reinhard's office in the German embassy afforded. "Their agents are highly skilled and very dangerous."

"Good," Asuka replied calmly. "I wouldn't want to get bored."

(:ii:)

"That's our man, sir."

"Yeah," Shinji Ikari agreed as he lowered his binoculars. "Who owns that warehouse?"

"It belongs to Weyland-Yutani Heavy Industries," Takeo Yoshikawa replied. "It's been for sale for almost three years."

"Alright," Shinji replied as he climbed out of the car. "I'll go have a look around. You radio me if you see anyone heading my way."

"Roger that, sir." Shinji quickly crossed the street while he tugged on his gloses. He reached the main entrance to the warehouse and quickly dug the electronic pick out of his pocket. He pushed it into the door's lock and turned it on. The small machine hummed to life and began flicked the lock's tumblers. A moment later Shinji twisted the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open. He quickly shut the door and locked it again. "Sir!"

"What's wrong?" Shinji hissed, pressed his earpiece harder against his ear to hear better.

"Someone's coming sir," Takeo warned.

"Copy." Shinji looked around quickly. He grabbed the exposed rafters of the entryway and managed to swing his legs up as the door opened. Shinji could hear footsteps, but he was too scared of making a noise to move. No he hung from the rafter, holding himself almost parallel with it in an uncommon show of strength and athleticism. The footsteps grew slightly distant and his quietly wrapped his legs around the beam as well.

"I just phoned HQ. They said to bring him in," Takeo stated in Shinji's earpiece. Shinji slowly released his hold with his legs and swung down. He landed in a crouch without a sound and reached into the pocket of his coat. His fingers wrapped around the collapsible baton in his pocket and he pulled it out as quietly as he could.

(:ii:)

"Well done, Shinji!"

"Thank you sir," Shinji replied. His boss grinned at him and turned back to the one way window.

"He's a real hard ass, but we'll crack him eventually!" Nagao Kita exclaimed. "Everyone breaks eventually." After a moment in which the man's cheerful grin slipped slightly, he was grinning again. "We managed to I.D. the bastard. He's a German citizen working as a secretary at their embassy."

"Diplomatic immunity?" Shinji ventured.

"Yup."

"Then wouldn't this be illegal?" Shinji pressed even though it didn't truly matter.

"They won't ask what happened to their spy," Nagao stated.

"And if they ask what happened to their secretary?" Shinji asked.

"Wandered down the wrong alley, maybe went to China and disappeared, maybe he even found himself a Japanese hooker, fell in love, and ran away," Nagao stated with a chuckle. "You seem awfully worried about the law. You're a Black, aren't you? On loan to us, right? What do you care?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir," Shinji replied automatically. "I've never heard of someone being a Black."

"Of course not," Nagao replied. "What a silly thing for me to say. Don't know why I mentioned it. My apologies."

"Not a problem, sir," Shinji replied. "What about the agent?"

"We picked him up at his house," Nagao explained. "He wasn't as resilient as his case officer. The mere threat of torture had him spilling his guts."

"What did he leak to them?" Shinji asked.

"Doctor Miho leaked anything and everything he could get his hands on," Nagao stated, his smile slipping and being replaced with a muscle twitching in the corner of his eye. "Ever since he was in college. He started with his military daddy's papers and moved onto leaking his own classified findings while working for the government."

"Was he on the. . ."

". . .exploration ships?" Nagao interrupted. Shinji nodded. "He was the head geologist. We're going to need you and Yoshikawa to get down to Tokyo-3. The Germans will be taking steps to undermine our operation. How is your German?"

"Haven't spoken German in years," Shinji stated. "A soldier I met in Somalia taught me how to speak it, but that was a long time ago."

"You'll have plenty of time to polish it up," Nagao stated calmly. "You're dismissed, Shinji."

"Yes, sir," Shinji replied. Nagao's grin returned as the German's screams came across from the interrogation room over the speakers.

"That had to hurt." Shinji turned and hurried towards the door. "Shinji?" Shinji paused and turned.

"Sir?"

"Since we began this operation, the courts have been overflowing with traitors," Nagao stated. "How about we relieve some of that pressure?"

"Yes sir."

"If you find another officer then by all means, give him to us, but if you catch another agent. . .well, learn what you can and. . ." Nagao trailed off and turned to face Shinji, ". . .you know what to do."

"Yes sir."

"So, how's Yoshikawa doing?" Nagao asked suddenly. "He came very highly recommended and those Maritime SSDF Spec Ops guys don't impress easily."

"He's fine, sir," Shinji replied.

"Good!" Nagao exclaimed. "You don't impress easily either, so he must be good. Well, good luck Shinji."

"Thank you sir."

(:ii:)

Shinji carefully closed the door and pulled off his suit jacket. He hated interrogation. "Did they find anything, sir?"

"Not from the officer," Shinji stated, "at least, not yet. Everyone breaks eventually. He will too."

"Where's he from?" Nagao asked as he fell into step beside Shinji.

"Germany," Shinji replied. "Can you speak German?"

"A little," Nagao replied. "I worked with the German Navy's Spec Ops guys before."

"Kampfschwimmer Kompanie," Shinji stated.

"What?"

"Combat Swimmer Company," Shinji explained. "German Naval Spec Ops."

"Oh."

"Get everything in order," Shinji ordered. "We're leaving."

"When?"

"As soon as we pick up our weapons," Shinji answered as he stopped in front of an elevator and pushed the call button.

"So, we have to see that guy again?" Takeo asked with a frown.

"I'll have you know, 'that guy' is an old friend of mine," Shinji stated.

"That aside, sir," Takeo began, "you have to admit, it's creepy how giddy he is around weapons."

"I always hoped he would outgrow that."

(:ii:)

"Hey Shinji!"

"Hello Kensuke," Shinji replied with a forced smile.

"I heard you brought in another officer!" Kensuke Aida exclaimed as he raced around the armory. "So, you guys want your Mk. 23s, right?"

"Yeah," Takeo said absently as he examined a large sniper rifle. "Are you done with them?"

"Of course!" Kensuke snapped. "This was just a checkup. Japan has never used this kind of weapon before and we're trying to keep an eye on the wear patterns."

"Those Germans tend to build pretty sturdy weapons," Takeo commented. "Anthena Armor Piercers?"

"They have the highest accuracy of all. . ."

"I know," Takeo interrupted. "I helped a sniper team in Syria. They used these babies for some pretty amazing shots. Although the sniper really liked those armor piercing incendiaries. . ."

"Rao. . ."

"Yeah those," Takeo replied. "One of the nastiest kills I've ever seem was a two hundred meter shot with those things." Shinji tried to hide a smirk. It was always a pleasure seeing Kensuke trying to use facts to hide his lack of field experience.

"I'll get the Mk. 23s," the bespectacled man stated. He opened a large wall locker and drew two large black pistols out. "Here."

"Thanks." Shinji took his weapon and picked up a magazine from the table. He pushed it into the weapon's grip and stared at the bullets through the weapon's translucent Lexan grip panel before thumbing the slide release.

"I wish I could be out there with your guys," Kensuke commented wistfully. "Out in the field, busting skulls and knocking off enemies without their partners noticing."

"Yeah," Shinji deadpanned as he holstered his pistol under his left arm. He was hoping that Kensuke wouldn't start blaming his bum leg for being stuck in the lab. Shinji was getting sick of that excuse.

"I replaced the trigger mechanisms with a new after market match grade model," Kensuke explained, decided to jabber about the pistols instead of his job. "It should have a sweet single action pull with no creep at all. I also replaced the barrels and added new contrasting highly luminous night sights."

"Thanks," Takeo replied.

"Whatever," Kensuke spat. Shinji frowned. He didn't like Kensuke's attitude. The man was just rude to anyone of lesser rank, which Takeo technically was, even though the younger man had more combat experience than Kensuke would ever see. It was all politics.

"Let's go."

"Yes sir," Takeo agreed, looking relieved to be called away.

"See you next time Shinji!" Shinji stepped out of the armory and glanced at his watch. It was almost noon.

"You need to pack anything?"

"I can get clothes in Tokyo-3," Takeo answered. Shinji glanced at the younger man and felt a smile tugging at his lips. "What?"

"Very clever."

"What is?" Takeo asked, feigning innocence.

"You can charge the price of new clothes as expenses," Shinji stated. "It usually takes an officer a few months to figure that out."

"I hadn't even thought of that." Takeo was surprisingly good at playing innocent, but he wasn't fooling Shinji.

"Bull shit."

(:ii:)

Misato Katsuragi frowned as she sat up in bed. She hated early mornings. She fumbled for the bleating alarm clock and hit the snooze button. She was about to go back to sleep when a new alarm went off. It was the phone. . .in the kitchen. "Damn it." She crawled out of bed and made her slow, staggering way to towards the kitchen. One glanced at the caller ID screen perked her mood up immediately. She snatched up the phone and tried to keep a strait face. "Misato Katsuragi," she introduced in her most seductive voice, "local sex goddess of Tokyo-3. How can I help you?"

"Funny," the man on the other end of the line stated calmly. Misato pouted in disappointment, even though she knew her teasing had lost much of its punch years ago.

"Hey Shinji."

"Did I wake you?" the young man asked.

"Yeah," Misato grumbled. "Why are you calling me this early, Ikari?"

"Its half past twelve," Shinji commented, amusement evident in his voice. "I'm telling you, you really do need to get active. You'll loose your girlish figure."

"Well, you'd know all about my figure," Misato teased as she staggered towards the refrigerator and retrieved a can of her favorite drink.

"And suck a lovely figure it is," Shinji replied. Misato had to laugh. Ever since Shinji had left Tokyo-3, he had been so much more relaxed than before.

"You silver-tongued devil you," she commented. "So, why are you calling?"

"I'll be in Tokyo-3 soon," Shinji stated. "I'll be staying a while and I was wondering if you wanted to go have dinner." Misato smiled. Shinji came through town on business every couple of months and always took her out for a night on the town. The normality of this action did not negate it from her teasing.

"Why Misato Ikari, are you asking me out on a date?" The sad truth was, the dinner date was probably the best time she would have until his next visit. "This would be the tenth, right? I'll have you know, I got a little further on the tenth date."

"Uh. . .well. . .damn it, Misato!" Misato grinned. 'I've still got it.'

"It's a date," she stated. "Call me when you get into town and I'll pick you up."

"Thanks," Shinji replied. "I'll see you real soon, Misato."

"Count on it." Misato pressed the call end button and opened her beer. She glanced at the phone and watched as the message button continued to blink, indication a message that had not been erased yet. She had already listened to it several times. "What a coincidence. Both of them coming home at the same time," Misato mused. "This is going to be interesting."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Sorry all. No new Lycanthrope this week. I've kind of lost some enthusiasm for that story, so until it comes back I'm not going to force out mediocre chapters. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning it. I'm just taking a break from it.

And I just got a PS3! Now if I only had the money for games and an HD TV and a couple of other things. Oh well.


	2. Chapter 2: Greetings

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Two: Greetings

Misato watched as the monorail slid smoothly into the station. She glanced at her watch and smiled. For once, the monorail was actually on time. The doors hissed open and Misato began to scan the people filing out. Finally she spotted the black-suited man she was looking for. "Shinji!"

"Misato!" Misato jogged towards her former charge and leapt. He caught her easily and swung her around laughing, both ignoring the people around them.

"It's so good to see you again," Misato stated as he finally released her. She glanced at the young man standing slightly behind Shinji. "He's so cute! Is he your new boyfriend?" The man's face turned bright red. Much to Misato's annoyance the only sign that Shinji had heard was the cocking of one eyebrow.

"Ignore her," he told the man behind him. "She likes to tease people. You'll become immune to it. . .eventually." Misato pouted.

"You make me sound like a virus!" Shinji's lips twitched and she quickly clapped a hand over his mouth. "Not a word Ikari!" She felt Shinji smile and took her hand away.

"It was too easy," he stated. "This is my new partner, Takeo Yoshikawa."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the young man greet formally, bowing deeply. Misato was stuck for a moment, but quickly returned the bow.

"What happened to Nasuki?"

"He got a promotion," Shinji answered simply. It seemed like every time he came to the city, he always had a new business partner. Every time she would ask what happened to the last. Some times the answer was simple, other times the smile would fade from Shinji's face. Misato never asked further in the later case.

"Well, le'ts get going." Misato suggested as she turned and began leading them through the crowd. "Don't get lost Shinji. Do you want me to hold your hand?" She felt an arm slip around her waist and a hand come to rest on her hip.

"I can hold other things, if you'd like," Shinji commented. Misato grinned and wrapped her arm around the young man.

"I've taught you well," she stated.

"So you were teaching me all along?" Shinji asked. "I thought you were teasing me."

"I teach by example," Misato replied. It was fun having someone who could tease her as well as she teased them.

"Of course."

(:ii:)

"So, what are you doing here?" Misato asked as they sped along Tokyo-3's main thoroughfare.

"Just business," Shinji replied.

"I see," Misato began, "Mister Accountant, off to see if NERV is still embezzling funds, huh?"

"Something like that," Shinji answered. "How's everything been since the last time I came?"

"Boring!" Misato announced. "There's no real use for a tactician in NERV no more. No battles means no tactics and no tactics means a very bored Misato."

"You should put in for a transfer if you want to direct soldiers," Shinji commented. "I know of at least three bush wars that could use an unconventional thinker like you."

"What?" Misato asked in mock indignation, "and help men kill men? No thank you. They can do that just fine without my brilliance." Shinji chuckled at her over the top antics.

"I see your point," he conceded. "So, what are you doing if you aren't rewriting the book on tactics?"

"I pretty much sit around and pass on orders from the top," Misato explained.

"Smart move on the Commander's part," Shinji commented.

"How so?" Misato asked suspiciously.

"He knows that men would practically kill themselves to follow out orders coming from a beauty such as you," Shinji stated. "I would."

"You're so sweet." Misato had long ago gotten used to the occasional flirtatious comment and had grown to enjoy them. "Did you call the rental agency already?"

"Yeah," Shinji answered. "They're already waiting for us."

"Good," Misato stated. "So, are you staying with me?"

"We have barracks in the Geo-Front," Shinji explained.

"You're staying with me," Misato stated. She saw one of Shinji's eyebrows slide upwards. "Have you ever seen the Geo-Front's barracks?"

"Not really."

"Let's just say that there's a damn good reason why I chose to spend my hard earned cash on an apartment," Misato replied. "Takeo can stay too, if he wants."

"I don't want to be a bother," Takeo replied from the back seat.

"Now I know why he seems familiar!" Misato exclaimed. "He reminds me of you!"

"Hah, hah."

"It's not a problem," Misato stated. "I already have someone using the other bedroom, but you can sleep on the couch." She glanced at Shinji. "That is, unless Shinji wants to stay in my room."

"Maybe next time," Shinji stated. "It's this turn." Misato pulled into the turning lane and then into the rental agency's parking lot. "So, who else is staying with you?"

"It's a secret," Misato sang.

"Great," Shinji grumbled as he climbed out of the car. "I love secrets."

"Part of the job sir," Takeo added as he climbed out as well.

"Can you find your way back to the apartment?" Misato asked.

"I'll be fine," Shinji replied. "See you there."

"Right."

(:ii:)

"She doesn't know?" Takeo whispered.

"Of course she doesn't know," Shinji replied as he pushed the door to the rental agency open and stepped into the air-conditioning. "How would I explain it anyway? I hunt down and kill spies, or I capture them so my superior can torture them?"

"Good point," Takeo allowed.

"This isn't a family friendly occupation," Shinji continued. "Ask around. Probably about three fourths of the people at the agency are divorced or single."

"Then what does she think you are?" Takeo asked.

"She thinks I'm an accountant or something," Shinji explained as he led his partner around the line and up to the counter. 'God bless the express lane."

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

"Give her your license." Shinji watched as the woman behind the counter took Takeo's license and began typing something in her computer.

"Alright." The computer printed something out and the woman took it. "Here it is." She handed the paper to Takeo. "Take this to the man in the small building out back."

"Thank you." Takeo took the paper and his license. Shinji led them to the door leading to the back.

"Anyway, she thinks I work for the government and travel around to make sure that no government agencies are embezzling funds," Shinji finished.

"That's an interesting cover," Takeo commented. "How did it come about?"

"I gave a little information and she filled in the rest herself," Shinji explained. "The best covers are the ones people want to believe and are comfortable with. Remember that."

"Yes, sir." Shinji saw the building and walked up to it. The man behind the counter took the paper and led them to a blue sedan of some sort. They did the visual check for damage and the man handed Takeo the keys before walking off. "So, which way is it to Miss Katsuragi's?"

"She'll slap you if you call her that to her face," Shinji warned as he climbed in the passenger side. "Besides, we aren't going there."

"Where are we going?" Takeo asked as he climbed behind the wheel.

"Another rental agency," Shinji replied. "They have a motorcycle waiting for me."

"Why?"

"Because I can't drive cars and I can list it as a business expense," Shinji stated smugly.

"And you're supposed to be checking government agencies for embezzling," Takeo commented dryly.

"That's just a cover," Shinji replied.

(:ii:)

"So, where did you meet that woman?" Takeo asked. "No offense, but she doesn't seem to be the kind of woman you'd be drawn to."

"And what kind of woman would I be drawn to?" Shinji asked.

"I don't know," Takeo replied. "I've never seen you date. I just don't think it'd be that type of woman."

"Touché," Shinji commented. "I don't date. Like I said, not a family friendly job. Anyway, Misato was my guardian."

"Kinky."

"Don't start," Shinji groaned. "Nasuki used to tease me about that for hours."

"Nasuki was your partner before me, right?" Takeo asked. Shinji nodded. "Is that Instructor Nasuki?"

"Instructor," Shinji repeated. "Year, that's him. He got sent to me for polishing. The kid was good, but I'm better." He saw Takeo's jaw drop out of the corner of his eye.

"You trained Instructor Nasuki?" he asked in amazement.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "Turn here."

"Right." Takeo turned into the rental agency and Shinji climbed out. His partner climbed out as well. "So, why can't you drive? Did you never learn?"

"I learned," Shinji replied. "I'm kind of surprised you haven't heard already."

"Heard about what?" Takeo asked.

"I was in an accident with a French officer," Shinji stated. "He blindsided me. Ever since then every time I get behind the wheel, well, my hands just start shaking."

"Were you hurt?" Takeo asked.

"Severely," Shinji replied flatly. He knew that Takeo had heard what he wanted to hear and wouldn't probe further. For that, Shinji was extremely grateful. The rest of that night's occurrences were buried deep inside him and he was going to keep them that way. "Let's get going. We shouldn't leave Misato waiting, she'll get bored and than we'll be in real trouble."

(:ii:)

Shinji brought his new Kawasaki to a stop and leaned back, looking up at the building. Takeo pulled into the parking spot beside him and rolled down his window. "Is this it, sir?"

"This is it," Shinji replied. He climbed off his bike and pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead. Takeo climbed out of the car and looked around.

"This is a pretty nice place," he commented. "You grew up around here?"

"No," Shinji replied as he opened the sedan's trunk and dug his overnight bag out. He slung it over his shoulder and grabbed Takeo's as well. "I grew up in Sendai."

"That's where I'm from," Takeo commented.

"No kidding?" Shinji asked as he shoved the bag into the other man's arms.

"Nope." Shinji chuckled. Sometimes he forgot that he had only known Takeo for a few months. He led the way to the elevator and hit the call button. The doors slid open and they stepped inside. "So, how are we starting this OP?"

"First we get a list of all foreigners with connections to their government's intelligence agency," Shinji explained as he hit the button for the proper floor. "What could be wrong with that?"

"Too obvious," Takeo pointed out.

"Good," Shinji stated, "but they might be counting on us thinking that way."

"So always check things even if they're too obvious?" Takeo asked.

"Right," Shinji replied. "After that we begin inspecting foreign citizens and Japanese citizens who have been abroad lately. We start with the foreigners, why?"

"Officer," Takeo replied. "The officers are normally foreign-borne and the agents are native citizens recruited by the officer."

"Right," Shinji replied as the doors opened. "Kill the roots and you can kill the tree much more easily." The doors opened and they stepped out into the familiar hallway.

"Who do you think the other house guest is?" Shinji frowned and glanced at Takeo out of the corner of his eye.

"What makes you think I'd know?" he asked.

"Well. . .you're. . .you're you, sir," Takeo replied. Shinji laughed and stopped in front of one of the doors.

"Well, thank you. I think." He knocked and the door swung open.

"What took you?" Misato demanded.

"Traffic," Shinji answered as he stepped past his guardian and set his overnight bag down. He kneeled and began pulling at the laces of his worn, black combat boots.

"Our guest is here!" Misato crowed. Shinji managed to wrangle his boots off and straightened up.

"Don't you're neighbors complain enough about the noise as is?" Shinji asked.

"If you want to swing by my bedroom a little later, we could give them something to really complain about," Misato commented sultrily.

"Don't tempt me," Shinji replied. "Now who's staying with. . ."

"Hey Dumpkoff." Shinji looked up and stared at the red-haired woman who had just stepped out of the kitchen.

"Hey Asuka."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Sorry, got nothing to say.


	3. Chapter 3: Too Perfect

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Three: Too Perfect

Asuka stared at the man standing a few feet away from her as he kicked his boots into a slightly neater pile. "It's been a while," she commented.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. Misato laughed at them.

"Well this is awkward," she stated. "When was the last time you changed?"

"When I woke up," Shinji replied. Misato stared at him for a moment.

"And when was that? No, wait, don't tell me. I don't want to know."

"Nope," Shinji answered. "I'll be right back." He picked up his duffel bag and made his way to his old room without a second look at Asuka. She scowled at his lack of interest. She had many scenarios planned out. The three main categories were them fighting, them making out, or him gawking at her radiance, or some combination of the previous three. She had not even thought about indifference.

"This is Asuka Sohryu," Misato continued. "She used to live here with Shinji." Asuka turned and saw that Misato was introducing her to a young-looking man. "This is Takeo Yoshikawa."

"It's nice to meet you," Asuka stated absently.

"So, you're Shinji's new partner?" Misato pressed.

"Technically, he's my superior ma'am," Takeo corrected.

"So, he's climbing the ranks, huh?" Misato asked.

"He's been a fairly high ranking person for a while now," Takeo explained. Asuka quickly turned her full attention of this little conversation. Shinji with a subordinate? Shinji as a high ranking anything? This could prove useful.

"Really?"

"Really." Asuka turned and saw Shinji leaning against the wall dressed in a pair of khaki slacks and a black polo shirt. "Now don't go telling her much more than that."

"But Shinji," Misato whined.

"Nope," Shinji stated. "I'm here to have a little peak at NERV's workings and you're working for them."

"You make me sound like the enemy!" Misato exclaimed with a pout. Asuka was happy to see that the man didn't show a single reaction to their former guardian's expression.

"You are, for now," Shinji stated teasingly as a smile spread across his lips. Asuka was stunned by the difference between the boy she knew and the man before her. The hair was shorter, the body larger and more muscular; the face more angular, and the eyes sharper, but the true change was simply the smile on his face. "Maybe you'll be the enemy later too if we turning up anything."

"And what makes you think I'm stealing money?" Misato demanded.

"Your car insurance bill," Shinji shot back.

(:ii:)

"She's a foreigner."

"Notice that, did you?" Shinji asked as he sipped the beer in his hand. Asuka and Misato had gone out to have some girl time or something. "And she's German."

"Should we put the thumb screws to her?" Takeo asked. Shinji chuckled.

"Come on now. You know as well as I do that thumb screws haven't been used in decades," he commented.

"Yeah," Takeo agreed. "After all, electricity doesn't leave marks."

"It does," Shinji corrected. "Just not bad ones." He tugged out his cell phone and flipped it open. He punches in a few numbers and raised it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"It's Ikari," Shinji stated. "I need a background check on a German citizen."

"Name?"

"Sohryu, Asuka Langley," Shinji stated. "That's the maiden name, I don't know if she's married or not. You guys have my number. Call when you get some results."

"Alright, sir." Shinji flipped his phone shut and laid it on the coffee table.

"You really think she's an officer?" Takeo asked. Shinji stood and stretched.

"Maybe. You can't deny that her eyes lit up when you were mentioning my standing in the agency," Shinji stated. "Come on. We need to go investigate."

"Investigate what?" Takeo asked.

"Somebody has been probing NERV's computers," Shinji stated. "They have no clue that we're tracing them."

"When did you hear about this?"

"You'll find that out when you become a senior officer."

(:ii:)

Shinji stared at the computer store and frowned. This was a good cover for an electronic warfare staging ground. "There are a lot of civilians, sir."

"I know," Shinji stated as he fiddled with his Mk. 23's holster. He moved forward in his seat so he could clip it to his belt. He drew his Mk. 23 and quickly screwed the long suppressor onto the muzzle before returning it to its carrier. "Keep it quiet."

"Blades, sir?"

"No," Shinji replied. Blades were tricky. It was better to make a little noise than to have a wounded man stagger into the public and start a gunfight.

"What if we're wrong?" Takeo asked. "What if we bust in there and kill half a dozen innocent computer repairmen?"

"That's not our problem," Shinji stated. Takeo was just learning. He didn't know the ins and the outs of the business yet. "Our job is to go where we're told. If they're innocent than its on the guys from Counter Intel."

"Right." Shinji climbed out of the sedan and scanned the area again. Damn it was crowded. Didn't civilians have anything better to do? If push came to shove, he'd have to draw first and end the fight. Shinji grabbed a gray sports jacket and pulled it on to help conceal the weapon hidden under his shirt on the small of his back.

(:ii:)

Asuka stared at the dress in her hands and laid it down. "So, you're still working for NERV?"

"That's right," Misato replied. "I like that one. It matches your eyes."

"I like it too," Asuka replied as she absently picked up another article of clothing. "What do you doing? I mean, there aren't any more angels, are there?"

"Nope," Misato replied as she turned. A grin shot across her face. "Well, that'll get his attention."

"What?" Asuka looked more closely at the garment she was holding and nearly dropped it. Why was the lingerie section so close to the normal clothes? "What do you mean?"

"Shinji!" Misato exclaimed with a conspirational grin. "Don't think I didn't notice how you scowled when he breezed by you."

"I don't care about that idiot!"

"Alright," Misato replied peaceably. "Calm down. I was just kidding." Asuka glared at her for a moment before looking away.

"Why did Shinji ignore me?"

"He has his reasons," Misato stated. "Shinji hasn't really looked at any woman like that since. . ." the older woman trailed off, looking aghast. "I. . .I mean. . ."

"It's alright," Asuka stated smoothly. Whatever the reason Shinji didn't look at women was obviously not one of the Misato's favorite topics. Asuka would try to coax it out of her later after a few drinks. That information might prove useful. "So, what's he doing now?"

"He works for the government," Misato explained. Asuka nearly dropped the dress she had been examining. The government? 'This is almost too perfect!' Asuka thought ecstatically. She was sure she could get him to come around to her side easily enough. With all the things she'd done for her job, flirting with Shinji and maybe a little more would definitely not be the worse.

"Do you know what he does?"

"He travels around checking financial records for government agencies," Misato explained. 'He would have access to a great deal of information,' Asuka noted. Shinji Ikari was definitely someone she would have to have in her burgeoning ring of agents. "He used to work for the GSDF, too."

"Wow," Asuka replied, still a little star struck at what an awesome find her former roommate had turned out to be.

"You should ask him about it," Misato replied.

"I never really pictured him for the patriotic type," Asuka noted. "Why would he work for the government?" Misato looked around quickly. Asuka could tell she was trying to decide whether telling her was a good idea. Finally Misato's inner gossip won out.

"I don't think he's really the patriotic type," she stated. "I think it's just a job to him." This statement almost made Asuka dizzy. A find this good was indeed a rare thing. "I don't like what it's done to him." Asuka was so excited that she nearly missed the absently-added statement.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It's his mentality," Misato explained. "Shinji believes that the ends justify the means. It scares me just how deeply he believes that. I hate it."

"People change," Asuka stated, still humming over her discovery.

(:ii:)

Shinji glanced around the store and calmly pushed the door to the backroom open. He and Takeo stepped inside and shut the door again. If you acted like you belonged, people had a funny way of thinking you did. "Wow."

"Yeah," Shinji agreed as he stared at the mass of computers inside. "Either these guys are fixing for some major Counter Strike, or we've got our hackers."

"Counter Strike?" Takeo repeated.

"What?" Shinji asked. "Kids still play videogames, don't they?"

"Yeah," Takeo replied. "But that game is ancient." Shinji frowned as his age was thrown in his face again. He wasn't that old damn it! Was he? 'And I'm getting so sick of those little bastards saying I should dye the gray in my hair. One more and I'll. . .'

"Excuse me, sirs. This area is for employees only." Shinji turned and stared at the young man.

"I am an employee," Shinji stated. "I'm an employee of the Japanese government. We'd like to ask you a few questions." One of the men snatched for something and Shinji grabbed his Mk. 23. The massive pistol cleared the holster and Shinji swung it up. The weapon bucked and the man crumbled to the ground as the massive .45-caliber projectile evacuated his brains across the wall behind him.

"Anyone else?" Takeo asked, toeing the sawed off shotgun away from their would be assailant's hand. "We have plenty of bullets." No one spoke.

"Good," Shinji stated. "Now about those questions."

(:ii:)

Misato glanced up and smiled as Shinji walked into the apartment. "Where have you two been?"

"Computer store," Shinji replied as he shrugged off his sports jacket and sat at the kitchen table.

"Beer?"

"Please." Misato handed the can to him and watched as he opened it absently. She frowned at the far away expression on his face. He got like that every once in a while. Her frown deepened as she noticed the pale color of his skin. 'I hope he isn't getting sick,' she thought. "Have fun shopping?"

"Yep," Misato replied. "I bought a couple of interesting little numbers, including one I think you'll enjoy." Shinji's attention seemed to snap back to the present.

"Oh? Do tell."

"Well, it's so tight you'll just have to peel it right off," Misato replied, grinning seductively. Shinji smiled at that and drained his beer in one shot, much to Misato's pride. "I'll show it to you on our date, although you'll have to wait till we get home. It's not something a modest person like me would wear in public."

"You, modest?" Misato shot a glare at Asuka as she walked into the kitchen.

"I'm very modest! Tell her Shinji!"

"Do I have to do it with a strait face?" Shinji asked. Misato pouted.

"I hate it when you two gang up one me!" Shinji grinned at her and stood up.

"I'm hungry."

"I'll make something," Misato offered.

"No!" She stared at her two former charges.

"Takeout," Shinji stated.

"Takeout," Asuka agreed.

"Uh. . .takeout?" Takeo called from somewhere else in the apartment.

"Takeout," Misato gritted. "Lousy little bastards."

"I can't hear you when you mumble," Shinji commented.

"Nothing," Misato replied sweetly.

"Yeah, right," Asuka stated.

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Resistance Fall of Man has my soul and it won't give it back! You know, in this story, Shinji seems to be a fairly cheerful and well-adjusted person. I know, it scares me too.

P.S. DI2 will be out when its done. Just kick back and smoke 'em if you got 'em in the mean time.


	4. Chapter 4: Princess

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Four: Princess

Shinji flipped his phone shut and shoved it into his pocket. "Who was it, sir?"

"Someone I asked to do me a favor," Shinji stated as he picked up his sunglasses and helmet.

"Oh." Takeo's eyes widened suddenly as he understood. "Oh!" The search on Asuka had turned up quite a few interesting tidbits. Maybe Takeo had the right idea with the thumb screws. Shinji was more partial to a car battery and a couple of wires though.

"I'll be back in a couple of minutes," he called as he started for the door.

"Picking up the food?" Asuka asked.

"Yep."

"Feel like some company?" Shinji glanced back at the redhead over his shoulder. Did she know he drove a motorcycle? Better yet, did she know _how_ he drove a motorcycle?

"Sure. Catch." Asuka looked surprised by the black object sailing through the air at her, but caught it none the less.

"What's this?"

"It's a helmet," Shinji stated. "You'll need it."

"And why would I need it?" Asuka demanded. Shinji grinned and checked his pocket for his sunglasses.

"You'll see."

"It'll mess up my hair," Asuka stated as she set the helmet down.

"Suit yourself."

(:ii:)

Misato looked around the apartment and frowned. "Where'd Asuka go?"

"I think she went to go pick up the food with Shinji," Takeo stated.

"Oh." Misato considered this for a moment. 'I should have warned her.'

(:ii:)

"Slow down!" Asuka shrieked as the motorcycle darted sideways, sliding between two trucks so close Asuka could see her reflection in one of their glossy paintjobs. She clutched Shinji's waist tightly and buried her face in his back. The motorcycle slowed and finally came to a stop.

"Having fun?" Asuka leaned back and stared at the man. She could practically feel her heart trying to jump out of her chest.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she shrieked. All she had wanted was a nice quiet drive and a chance to talk about Shinji's job, not a thrill ride through Tokyo-3's streets that exceeded Misato on her wildest day.

"Loosen up," Shinji commented as he leaned back and pushed his sunglasses up on his head. He smiled at her. "Your hair's all messed up." Asuka frowned as her body suddenly realized how close she was to an attractive male and reminded her of how long it had been since she had any real male company, of her own preference at least.

"You're different," she stated, awkwardly resting her chin on his shoulder. It had been quite some time since close proximity with anyone had made Asuka feel awkward. The analyzing part of her brain took in the old military style tattoos, a military crest of some kind and two bullets with Kanji inscribed on their casings, on his inner forearms.

"What do you mean?" Shinji asked, unaware of her scrutiny.

"You're different from how you used to be," Asuka clarified. Shinji laughed and Asuka tried to remember any occasion when he had laughed back when they were living together. She couldn't think of a single instance. "You've changed."

"Well, people tend to do that," Shinji stated. He pushed his sunglasses down and looked up. "Green light!" Asuka shrieked as the motorcycle lurched forward under her. "Hold on!"

(:ii:)

Misato glanced up and smiled as a bedraggled redhead stepped into the apartment. Being verbally tag teamed was definitely worth the look on the other woman's face. "Did I mention Shinji drives a motorcycle?" she asked innocently.

"No," Asuka stated flatly.

"He doesn't drive it very well either," Misato added as the redhead disappeared into the living room.

"We're home!" Misato smiled at those words and watched as Shinji walked into the kitchen. He unslung his backpack and pulled out a plastic bag. "Chow!"

"Food!" Misato cheered.

"Nice to see you too," Shinji replied dryly as he opened the bag.

"Don't be silly," Misato stated as she pushed herself up against the younger man. "I'm always happy to see you." She took advantage of his split second hesitation and grabbed the bag out of his hand. "Got it!" Misato retreated quickly, cursing her treacherous, overly sensitive body for its reaction.

"Funny," Shinji grumbled as he made his way to the fridge and grabbed a pair of beers. "What do you to want to drink?"

"Beer?" Asuka called.

"What do you have?" Takeo asked.

"Beer and water," Shinji answered.

"Beer!"

"Catch!"

"Huh?" Misato cursed and managed to juggle the beer that had been tossed at her without dropping the bag containing their dinner. "Now, what would you have done if I had dropped that?"

"Punished you," Shinji replied as he set the beers on the table. He leaned forward and pecked her on the lips.

"Mine."

"Huh?" Misato cursed as she noticed that the bag had disappeared from her hands. "You little bastard." She was about to jump on him and wrestle him into submission when his phone went off. Shinji froze and glanced up at her apologetically. "Go ahead."

"Thanks." The younger man pulled out his phone and stepped out of the room. Misato grabbed her cup of beer ramen and popped the cap off. If there was one thing that always got that man's attention, it was his cell phone. He stormed into the kitchen moments later trying to pull on his boots as he walked.

"Heading out?"

"Duty calls," Shinji replied. "Takeo!"

"Sir?"

"Grab the bag," Shinji ordered. "We gotta go." Shinji paused to grab his ramen from the bag. "Tomorrow."

"What?" Misato asked.

"We'll go out tomorrow," Shinji stated. "The phone will be off, I swear."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Misato stated. Shinji hesitated for a moment and nodded before rushing out the door. Asuka appeared a moment later.

"What the hell was that?"

"You get used to it," Misato replied. "Here's your food." Asuka took the cup and picked up a pair of disposable chopsticks.

"Do you really think he's a government accountant?" she asked as she opened her ramen and broke her chopsticks, scowling as one broke in half instead of splitting neatly from its twin.

"It doesn't matter," Misato stated. "That's what he tells me and that's all the matters." That was true enough, but she wasn't stupid. Shinji Ikari was definitely not a government accountant.

(:ii:)

"What's the rush sir?"

"Someone's checking out the computer store," Shinji stated as they climbed into the car. Takeo tossed the bag containing the Mk. 23s to him and slid behind the wheel.

"Germans?"

"We still don't know the exact nationality of the computer stores guys," Shinji stated. "They might not even be working for a government. Might be free lance looking to sell what they find later at auction."

"Free lancers don't have back up teams," Takeo stated as he started the car and pulled out of the parking spot.

"Not usually," Shinji replied as he opened the bag and pulled out his weapon. He pushed a magazine into the massive weapon's grip and pulled the slide back. "All we know is that somebody tripped one of the sensors the guys in Cleanup and Recovery left."

"A Direct Action team wouldn't be that clumsy," Takeo stated. "Maybe they're just civilians with free lancers."

"The guys from C&R are some of the best," Shinji stated as he loaded Takeo's weapon too. "I was used to test their techniques, they nailed me every time."

"You?"

"They're good," Shinji stated.

"Are we going to have backup?" Takeo asked. Shinji shot the young man a grin and climbed into the backseat.

"We're the only combatants close enough to respond," he stated as he folded down one of the backseats so he could reach into the trunk. He pulled out a black belt and quickly buckled it around his waist, pausing to buckle the thigh holster platform dangling from it to his right leg. "Too bad this didn't happen tomorrow."

"Why?" Takeo asked.

"They heavy weapons were supposed to arrive tomorrow," Shinji stated as he pulled on a black vest over his polo shirt. "We don't even have SAPI plates for the vests. Don't you love not being able to take assault rifles and bullet-proof plates on public transportation?"

"They should make an exception for us," Takeo stated.

"They let us carry pistols," Shinji pointed out as he pulled on a pair of black gloves.

"Well, we should be allowed to carry grenades and assault rifles," Takeo stated.

"Don't worry about it."

"Why the hell not?" Shinji opened one of the pouches on his vest and pulled out a single MK3A2 offensive concussion grenade. "You brought that on the monorail, didn't you?"

"Of course," Shinji replied. "How the hell else would I get it?"

"I feel obligated to remind you that you are overstepping your boundaries," Takeo stated.

"Duly noted," Shinji replied as he took his Mk. 23 in its holster and clipped it to the platform on his thigh.

(:ii:)

Reinhard looked around the small space and frowned. This didn't look promising. "Is anything recoverable?"

"I don't know," Reinhard stated, glancing back at his escort. The large ex-GSG-9 agent frowned.

"I don't think we have a lot of time, sir." Reminhard nodded and kneeled in front of one of the desks. The Japanese had already removed all the computers, cleverly avoiding the powerful magnetic strips on the door frames. They were good. 'I just hope they aren't amazing,' Reinhard decided. He found the Ethernet jack and pulled the cover off. Beside it was a small USB port. Reinhard pulled his Blackberry from his pocket and connected it to the port.

"Please." The screen lit up and he accessed the hidden hard drive. "Got it."

"It's there?" the soldier asked.

"Everything," Reinhard stated. "We're in luck. I'm starting the download."

(:ii:)

Shinji cursed mentally as he crouched outside the shop. He was squatting below one of the large main windows. By his best guess there were at least eight people inside. His hand slid down to his Mk. 23 and he pulled the exposed hammer back. He glanced at Takeo who was crouching on the other side of the door below the other set of windows. He held up eight fingers and Takeo nodded.

Shinji glanced up and considered the window over him. He couldn't just throw the grenade through it. He didn't have the leverage. After a moment of consideration he drew his Mk. 23 and the grenade. He pulled the pin and in one smooth movement had shattered the window with the base plate of his pistol and lobbed the grenade inside.

The sudden pressure change made Shinji's ears pop painfully in spite of the earplugs he was wearing. He shot to his feet and the powerful white light mounted on his pistol slashed angrily through the darkness.

What followed was the one sided slaughter of a soldier catching his enemy off guard.

(:ii:)

"Fuck." Reinhard glanced at his escort.

"What's wrong?" he demanded quietly.

"They're dead," the soldier stated. He reached under his suit jacket and pulled out a compact sub-machinegun.

"The other soldiers?" Reinhard asked. "How can they be that good?"

"Must be some kind of assault team," the soldier replied. "We weren't expecting them to use explosives. How's the progress?" Reinhard looked at his Blackberry.

"Almost." He glared at it, almost trying to will the downloading symbol to finish its traverse across the screen. "Done." He pulled the USB cord out and reached into the pocket of his jacket. He pulled out a short flat device with a USB cable hanging out one end.

"What the hell are you doing?" the soldier hissed as he ejected the sub-machinegun's magazine and pushed an extended, double-capacity clip into the handle. He pulled the stock back and flipped down the forward grip.

"Remote access," Reinhard stated as he plugged the device in a slipped it into the hollow space before putting the cover back on. He crawled out from under his desk.

"The back door. Go." Reinhard didn't stop to argue. He knew the soldier's type. He was going to stay and provide cover. Reinhard pushed the door open and slammed it shut in time to hear the soldier fire a burst, the high fast pops of the suppressed weapon sounding much louder them they should have.

(:ii:)

"Shit!"

"Takeo!" Shinji shoved his wounded subordinate hard. The young man practically flew out of harm's way as Shinji kicked the door shut. He rolled to his feat, lowering himself like a linebacker, and charged. The doors hinges cracked loudly as they were torn from the wall. Shinji and the door flew into the other room and hit the other soldier hard.

Shinji hit gracefully and rolled to his feet in a flash. He brought his foot down on the man's wrist and raised his Mk. 23. There was a final pop and a hole appeared in the center of the man's head. "Takeo!"

"It was just a graze," the young man called. Shinji looked down at the soldier, half trapped beneath the door and gasped as his shoulder suddenly seemed to catch fire. Had he been hit? When?

"Damn it."

"Sir?" Shinji ignored his partner and swept the backroom with his pistol. It was empty. "Sir," Takeo repeated. "Are you injured?"

"It's nothing," Shinji stated flatly. He kneeled and picked up the man's weapon, a suppressed H&K MP7. "Where are you hit?"

"I said it was just a grazing, sir," Takeo stated as he stepped into the room. Shinji didn't bother with a retort as he immediately checked the man's side. The armor piercing 4.6mm round had cut right through the vest, but it was only a graze. The bleeding was already slowing.

"You're fine."

"I know, sir. What about you?" Shinji glanced down in the light from Takeo's gun. His vest was obscuring the wound, but it was bleeding fairly good.

"Quick hospital trip," he stated. "Call C&R, I want them to sweep this place from top to bottom. These guys were after something and call Assistant Director Kita. Give him a body count and tell him that we're going to cordon off the area. The cops and newsies are on their way."

"Yes, sir."

(:ii:)

Asuka glanced up as the door to Misato's apartment opened and Shinji and Takeo staggered in. "Well, look what the cat dragged in."

"That's about how I feel," Shinji replied as he tugged off his boots. Asuka frowned as she noticed that he was favoring one arm. She turned a careful eye on Takeo and saw him favoring his left side.

"Are you two alright?" she asked.

"Motorcycle accident," Shinji stated. "Some fucker almost sideswiped us and I lost control."

"Why'd you take the bike?" Asuka asked.

"I know Tokyo-3 better," Shinji replied.

"Then why didn't you drive the car?" Asuka pressed.

"Another day," Shinji stated. The finality of that statement stopped any further questions dead. She saw his eyes move to the woman sitting on the couch next to her.

"She fell asleep a couple of hours ago." Shinji sighed and hoisted Misato into his arms with only the slightest bit of trouble. If this was a motorcycle accident than he was either excellent at hiding pain or it wasn't very serious. Judging from how Takeo was holding himself it had been a serious accident.

"Be right back." Shinji disappeared into Misato's room and Takeo collapsed on the couch.

"What's this?"

"Don't know," Asuka replied. "The police raided a store downtown. The rumor going around is that it's drugs."

"Fuckers," Takeo spat. "Sorry. I just have a problem with people trying to undermine my country." Shinji reappeared and shut the door.

"I. . ." The shrill ring of his cell phone cut him off. He seemed to slump a little, but fished it out of his pocket. He flipped it open and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?" In an instant he brightened. "Hey Princess!" He disappeared into the kitchen leaving a stunned Asuka in his wake. She turned to Takeo.

"Princess?"

"It's probably his daughter," Takeo replied. "I don't think he's dating anyone at the moment and besides, that'd be a weird nickname for a girlfriend."

"Ah," Asuka replied, "right. Just his daughter."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Surprise! This comes a little early because I'm going to Minneapolis to visit my grandma.


	5. Chapter 5: The Super Secret Commando’s S

I don't know.

Intelligence

-Chapter Five: The Super Secret Commando's Secrets

"You look like shit." Reinhard looked annoyed at her statement, but that was fine with Asuka. She was plenty pissed off about having her schedule rearranged.

"That's about how I feel," he stated after a moment. "Please, have a seat." Asuka sat and considered the man across the table from her. He really didn't look good. He was pale and there were huge bags under his eyes. If Asuka hadn't been so annoyed with him, she might have been concerned.

"You're contacted me six days ahead of schedule," Asuka stated angrily. "You'd better have a good reason."

"Tokyo-3 is more dangerous than we thought," Reinhard stated. He glanced around the outdoor café. "You're being reassigned."

"Bullshit!" Asuka snapped angrily. "This is my town. I have connections here. You don't have anyone better qualified than me."

"The qualifications have changed," Reinhard stated. "You don't understand the situation. It's beyond your capabilities."

"Explain the situation than," Asuka ordered.

"Not here," Reinhard replied. "All you need to know is that this city is too dangerous for you. You're classified as a non-combatant."

"I can shoot guns," Asuka protested. "I'm a former Army officer for Christ's sake." That was true. She had the highest pistol scores of her class and they had only gotten better.

"Last night six men, each with ten plus years of experience in various German special forces were killed," Reinhard stated. "You are a former Army doctor."

"What?" Asuka demanded. "There are other operations going down in this city?"

"You don't need to know that," Reinhard replied. "You aren't going to leave quietly, are you?"

"No," Asuka stated stubbornly.

"Do you have a weapon?"

"Case officers shouldn't be armed," Asuka stated. "A weapon can be extremely incriminating if found." Reinhard nodded.

"Better not let this get found," he stated as he laid a bundle wrapped in a white cloth on the table. Asuka quickly put it in her purse. "This is only a .22. Don't think you can go Rambo with it. Try to use only sub-sonic rounds to make the suppressor more affective." Asuka nodded. "And for God's sake, keep a handle on your temper."

"Fuck you!" Asuka snapped. Reinhard smiled tiredly and laid several bills on the table.

"Take care of yourself," he stated as he stood. "Don't do anything stupid and get yourself killed or worse."

"What's worse than being killed?"

"A lot of things."

"Gehlen?" The man paused and glanced back at her. "Could you look up a man named Shinji Ikari for me?"

"Sure."

(:ii:)

"So, you crashed your motorcycle."

"That's right," Shinji replied as he popped two Motrin and put the bottle back in the cupboard. "Accidents do happen."

"Yeah," Misato agreed. She grinned brightly. "But it's funnier when it happens to you." Shinji sighed and moved his arm carefully. The shot of pain from his shoulder nearly took his breath away. It was only a graze, but it was a fairly serious one. "What about your bike?"

"It just got scratched up," Shinji stated. "I colored in the marks with a Sharpie. You can't tell the difference." The door opened and Shinji watched as Asuka walked into the apartment.

"Have a nice date?" Misato shot out of her seat.

"A date?"

"It wasn't a date!" Asuka snapped. Shinji grinned as she disappeared from view. Misato turned and stared at him.

"Why do I feel like I was just used as an attack dog?"

"You were," Shinji stated.

"Why Mister Ikari," Misato began, "I surprised at you. I thought you were above teasing."

"I'm not above anything," Shinji replied suggestively. Misato beamed.

"I've taught you well young one."

"I'd hate to tell you," Shinji began, "I'm not young. You're just old."

"You little bastard!"

(:ii:)

"Sir?" Takeo peaked into the kitchen and stared. "Ah. . .sir?"

"What's up?" Shinji asked from his position under Misato.

"Can I talk to you?" Takeo asked.

"Sure," Shinji replied.

"And how do you plan on doing that, Mister Ikari?" Misato demanded. Shinji managed to slither out of her hold and pinned her to the ground with ease.

"I win."

"Damn it! What are you, some kind of super secret commando?" Misato demanded.

"Maybe," Shinji replied with an impish grin as he stood and walked over to Takeo. "What's up?"

"Kita called," Takeo stated. "He wanted to know why you weren't picking up."

"My phone's off," Shinji stated. "He knows it is. I told him it would be off. Now, what did he want?"

"He said to keep an eye on Sohryu. Something new turned up."

"What?"

"Aside from her ties to Germany's military," Takeo began, "she's currently working as an aide in the German embassy."

"An officer with diplomatic immunity."

"Looks like it," Takeo replied. "Kita said we might think about bringing her in."

"Nah," Shinji replied. "If she's an officer, let's give her some time to set up a ring. Then we can bring in her and her agents."

"What if she isn't an officer?" Takeo asked. Shinji sighed. He was one of the few officers that knew how the agency actually ran.

"It won't be the first time they've tortured an innocent," he stated quietly. "They'll take care of it." Takeo's eyes were wide when Shinji glanced up at his face. "When the enemy hides amongst the innocents, the innocents can get caught up in the fight."

"I see," Takeo stated.

"You come from an unconventional warfare background," Shinji stated. "I thought you would have seen this before."

"Killing or wounding an innocent is a lot different than torturing one," Takeo stated. Shinji nodded.

"True enough," he stated. "We're heading to the Geo-Front. I want to start going over the files before I leave tonight."

"For your date," Takeo stated.

"For my date," Shinji replied. "Jealous?"

"Yup."

(:ii:)

"Wow." Shinji glanced at his partner and chuckled. The young man was staring out the car's windows with a positively star struck look. "This is an actual Geo-Front?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied as he glanced out at the view as well. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah," Takeo replied. "So, what are we doing here?"

"Research," Shinji stated reached inside his suit jacket and pulled his ID out of his breast pocket. "Get your ID."

"Don't we have geeks to take care of this stuff?" Takeo asked.

"Our analysts are spread too thin," Shinji stated. "They're coming, but not for a while. We can't wait that long."

"Great."

(:ii:)

'This sucks,' Shinji decided as he leafed through another file. He was a soldier not a secretary. "I need caffeine."

"This seems a little. . .much," Takeo commented. Shinji glanced at the young man.

"What do you mean?"

"There's so much personal information here that it's creepy," Takeo stated. "Is this stuff legal for NERV to have?"

"NERV is a government agency now," Shinji stated. "They can access a lot more than what normal employers can."

"I know," Takeo stated, "but this is still a bit much."

"Well, the Commander of NERV is also, apparently, a voyeur," Shinji commented. He knew for sure that some of the information contained in the files was illegal. That could be a nice bargaining chip later. He knew a confrontation would arise eventually. It happened every time he had to work with NERV or in Tokyo-3 in general. It was almost like the old man was setting it all up.

"I'll believe that," Takeo stated as he set the thin folder down in one of the piles on the desk. There were four. One for people from outside the country, one for people who had been outside the country within the past twenty years, a third for people who had some link to a foreign country, and a fourth for people with none of the above. At least they weren't going over the individual finance reports. Shinji was praying to whatever would listen that the analysts arrived before that became necessary. The lock on the door clicked and Shinji glanced up as it swung open.

"Shinji?" Shinji grinned broadly at the blue haired woman who had stepped into the room.

"Rei!" Shinji had barely gotten out of his seat before Rei Ayanami had seized him in a hug.

"Should I wait outside?" Takeo asked. Rei pulled away quickly. She still wasn't very good at displays of affection in front of people she didn't know well.

"That's my partner," Shinji stated. "He's a bit of a wiseass, but not a bad kid."

"Kid," Takeo grumbled.

"This is Rei Ayanami," Shinji added, "a very dear friend of mine." He sat back down and pushed the piles of folders in front of him out of the way. "So, what brings you down to this hell on Earth, Rei?"

"I heard Colonel Katsuragi mention that you had returned and wanted to greet you," Rei stated. "How's Kimi?"

"Kimi's fine," Shinji stated. "She wants to see her Aunt Rei again." Rei smiled slightly at that.

"Kimi's your daughter, right?" Takeo interrupted.

"Yeah," Shinji answered. "Kimiko Ikari."

"That's a pretty name," Takeo commented.

"Her mother picked it out," Shinji stated, "naturally."

"Naturally," Rei agreed. Shinji's eyes narrowed.

"Taking potshots at me now, Rei?"

"Only when you make yourself susceptible to them," Rei stated.

"Great, another smart ass woman."

(:ii:)

Asuka glanced around the bedroom and frowned. Other than the duffel bag packed away at the foot of the bed, it looked like no one had lived there in years. "Guess that makes sense," Asuka stated. That also meant she'd have to do some digging. Of course, she hadn't expected Shinji to leave something incriminating just lying around.

Blackmail, after all, was always a viable source of persuasion, not that Asuka was planning on blackmailing Shinji. No, she felt that her own charms would be plenty persuasive. It just never hurt to have a backup plan.

Asuka kneeled and grabbed the duffel bag's zipper. "Let's see what you have here." Asuka unzipped the bag and began poking through the bag's contents. A small book tucked away in the clothes caught her attention. She pulled it out and sat on the bed. She knew Shinji wouldn't be home for hours. She undid the latch on the front and flipped it open.

The very first picture was of a fairly pretty young woman and Shinji dressed in ceremonial kimonos. It must have been his wedding. Asuka smiled and flipped the page. The next picture was of the woman and Shinji, but now a smiling baby had joined them. 'Must be his family,' Asuka decided. She felt a slight spike of jealousy. There was no one waiting for her anywhere, no one except Gehlen with a new mission.

She continued to flip through the book, glancing at the pictures of the happy family. Then the pictures changed. It was so subtle that Asuka almost missed it. The woman stopped appearing and most of the pictures were of the baby in various stages of growth. Something else caught her eye and she stared at one picture closely. There were scars on the child's face. She flipped to the second picture, but the healed wounds were absent. Another kind of picture also began to appear. They were, as Asuka had decided to call them, war pictures.

In the war pictures Shinji was always dressed in fatigues and he was always armed. She began to notice two people, Asian males probably other Japanese soldiers, who always seemed to appear with him. The locales ranged from a burned out city to a military FOB in a place that looked like Africa's savanna. 'An old war horse.' The thought was definitely an alien one to be included in the same sentence as Shinji. There were also a few organized pictures with soldiers standing on bleachers behind a plaque with various descriptions. 'BUD/S, LRRP, Air Assault. God damn he got around.'

Asuka stood and put the book back in the bag, searching it as she did. They rest of the contents were clothes. She frowned and looked around the room more carefully. Spotting nothing she dropped the floor and looked under the bed. "Bingo."

Asuka pulled out the compact black backpack and set it on the bed. It was a military design with a built-in water bladder and MOLLE strips on much of the exterior for attaching extra pouches, but it was too slick to be government-issue. It must have come from the private sector. There was a long pouch clipped on the left side, a wide boxy pouch on the right, and the third. . .Asuka's eyes fell on the pouch clipped to the cover for the main compartment and the last few inches of a pistol's grip sticking out of it. She carefully opened the flap and drew the weapon out. She recognized it immediately. It was a green and black Colt .45, a popular pistol with many people, with a black light attached to the frame. She tugged the slide back a little and saw the gleam of brass inside the chamber. It was fully loaded with a round in the chamber.

Asuka set the weapon down carefully and pulled the twin zippers to open the bag's main compartment. The pack opened to reveal dozens of odds and ends. A long, dark cylinder caught her eye and she glanced at the pistol again, confirming that was threading on the end of the muzzle to accept a suppressor.

Much of the other equipment was a mystery to Asuka. She recognized boxes of .45-caliber and 9mm bullets, long extended magazines for the Colt, oddly cut magazines for another pistols, gloves, energy bars, a large combat knife, a pair of collapsible batons, and a small flashlight, and a full water bottle, but little else. She checked the boxy pouch on the right side and found it to be a very well-stocked first-aide kit.

In a rush Asuka realized what the backpack was. It was a bug out bag, a pack that intelligence people used to help them get out of a dangerous situation. Her own was safely nestled under her bed, much like Shinji's had been. "Oh my God."

(:ii:)

Shinji pushed the door to the apartment opened and trudged inside. He was tired. Takeo had managed to score a date off of some NERV tech that was probably half Shinji's age, which left him walking back to the apartment. He was definitely feeling ever single moment of the years of abuse he had put his body through. "I'm home."

"Welcome back." Shinji unlaced his boots and set them beside the door. He paused and took in the oddity of his boots next to Asuka's heels. Shinji walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. "Hey Shinji?"

"Yeah?" Shinji rasped as he turned and saw Asuka sitting at the kitchen table.

"I was wondering about your daughter," Asuka stated. Shinji felt an eyebrow creep upwards as he shuffled over to the table and sat down. "I didn't know you had one."

"Well, you haven't exactly been around for quite a few years," Shinji pointed out. "I was going to invite you to the wedding, but no one knew where you were."

"I was in Germany," Asuka stated. "So, what's her name?"

"Kimiko Ikari," Shinji stated. "She's eight years old now."

"Eight years," Asuka stated. "I guess I have been gone for a while. So, is she home with her mother right now?" Shinji felt the muscles in his arm clench without his permission. The beer can in his hand stood no chance. The punch tab burst upwards and beer covered Shinji's fist.

"No," he stated, his voice raspy for a new reason now. "He glanced up at Asuka. Her eyes were wider than normal and she was staring at the beer can. Shinji frowned. He probably owed her some sort of an explanation. "My wife's been dead for seven years," Shinji stated. "There was a car accident. Her skull was crushed and Kimi. . ." Shinji coughed as his throat tightened, ". . .Kimi got cut up pretty bad. I've had her in and out of plastic surgeons for years trying to get rid of the scars."

"I'm so sorry Shinji."

"You don't even know them!" Shinji snapped before he could catch himself. Asuka was taken aback, but nodded in understanding.

"I know," she stated, "but I brought up bad memories." Shinji managed a smile for her and stood.

"I'm sorry too," he replied. "Excuse me." He threw the beer can away and stepped out of the kitchen. He could clear up the spilt beer later.

Shinji made his way to his room and examined the doorway automatically. To his shock he noticed that the hair that had been trapped between the door and the doorframe was gone. 'Calm down,' Shinji ordered himself. He put his back to the wall and reached under his shirt for the slim 9mm pistol hugging his ribs. He pulled it out and carefully pushed the door open. He glanced inside, sweeping the room with a pistol and finally stepped in once he was sure the coast was clear.

Shinji immediately went to his duffel. Maybe Asuka had opened his door to see if he was in there.

That possibility dropped as he stared at his bag. It had been moved. He tore it open and one glanced inside told him that someone had been through his things. He dropped to the ground and dug his bug out bag from under his bed. He opened it and scowled. It had been searched as well.

Shinji almost sprinted to his closet and tore the door open, definitely damaging it beyond repair in the process. He glanced up and stared at the bag duct taped to the ceiling. He tore it down and opened it. His Mk. 23 sat pristine and untouched inside.

Shinji zipped the case shut and taped it back to the ceiling. He glanced at the bug out bag still lying on his bed and made his way over. He holstered his 9mm and snatched up the far more intimidating Wilson Combat .45. He pulled the slide back slightly and saw the brass in the chamber. He snatched the suppressor out of his bag and screwed it onto the pistol's muzzle. "Oh, Asuka?"

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Ooh, a cliffhanger. Heh, I love doing this to you guys. I'm such a bastard.


	6. Chapter 6: Luck

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Six: Luck

"Oh, Asuka?" Asuka glanced up and frowned.

"What's wrong, Shinji?" She heard the door to his room slam open and a bolt of fear flew down her spine as Shinji appeared with his suppressed .45 in hand. He strode forward soundlessly and slammed the weapon down on the table in front of Asuka. The sharp crack nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"Why the fuck did you go through my bags?"

"I didn't. . ." Asuka trailed off as Shinji turned the weapon so that the muzzle was pointing at her.

"I am highly defensive of my property!" Shinji snapped. "You will answer my question and you will answer them truthfully. Do not think for one second that I wouldn't shoot an unarmed woman."

"I'm sorry!" Asuka shrieked. Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull as Shinji pulled back the pistol's hammer.

"Apology accepted." Shinji's cheerful voice dripped with sarcasm. "That's not what I fucking asked. That's strike two. You don't want another one."

"I was curious!" Asuka's eyes darted between Shinji's sharp face and the pistol on the table. In a way, it was the truth. Shinji stared at her for a moment and finally lowered the hammer on the pistol with his thumb.

"Explain," he stated flatly.

"I haven't seen you in so long," Asuka began, "I was just curious."

"You could have asked," Shinji commented finally as he sat across from her.

"That might have been awkward," Asuka stated, her mind racing with the mixture of truth and a cover story. "Look at what happened when I asked about your wife. Confronting people about things can lead to bad situations. I thought it might be easier that way."

"I see."

"Look," Asuka began, "it wasn't right and it wasn't smart. It just seemed like a descent idea at the time. I'm not very good at communicating with people on a personal level."

"It wasn't right," Shinji stated. His anger was almost completely gone now and he seemed lesser for it until she saw his eyes. While his body slumped slightly his eyes were still sharp and analytical. It was a dangerous combination for Asuka's kind.

"I know," Asuka replied.

"Any questions you still want to ask?" Shinji asked.

"Well, looking around your room really brought up a lot more than it answered," Asuka commented, looking pointedly at the pistol. Shinji nodded and stood, moving to the fridge. Asuka suddenly had the oddest sensation that she would die if she touched the weapon. Shinji returned with two beers and handed one to her before sitting back down. She took it gratefully, finding her throat suddenly parched.

"Shoot."

"You were in the military," Asuka stated. "Why?"

"I. . .I don't have a lot of skills," Shinji stated. "I'm not the brightest person in the world and I sure as hell am not the most charismatic. After I got married I enlisted to help support my family. I requested the First Airborne Brigade because it was close to the apartment I had with Kairi." That would explain the large array of locales in the pictures. Paratroopers definitely got around in times of war.

"Aren't they some kind of elite?" Asuka asked. She remembered the military crest on his arm. It must have been their insignia. "No offense, but you weren't in the best shape that last time I saw you."

"Kairi was a fitness nut," Shinji stated. "She used to drag me to the gym all the time. In the end I enjoyed it, maybe a little too much. There was an exchange between the First and the American Eighty-Second. There were limited slots and only the most physically fit were allowed to go."

"You were one of them?" Asuka asked.

"I was the one," Shinji stated. "Me, the most physically fit man in the entire brigade, as you can imagine, it was a bit of an upset."

"So, you trained with the Eighty-Second Airborne?" Asuka asked, awed by the mention of the world famous airborne unit.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "I thought it was fun. We worked closely with the Americans. They'd been doing it a lot longer than us, so they were a wealth of practical knowledge. After the program was over I returned home. There was a lot of interest in getting me in the front lines, but I didn't want to go."

"You had a choice?" Asuka asked.

"I was a base medic," Shinji stated. "No purpose in sending a base medic out into the field when we were only mobilizing platoons and an occasion company for combat. It stayed that way until the accident." Asuka immediately knew what he was referring to. "I could have supported Kimi by myself, but I couldn't pay for the corrective surgeries for her face. Those fuckers at the insurance company said that they weren't life threatening, so they weren't covered by my plan. I moved to a combat position a year after the accident and left Kimi with her god mother."

"So, it was for the money?" Asuka ventured.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "I'm not proud of that fact, but it was for my daughter's future. On my first mission I got reputation as the go to guy for bad situation. The top kicks caught on and started sending me to special schools. After that I was attached to a sniper team with Sergeant Third Class Takahashi and Sergeant Second Class Kamakura." He seemed distance all of the sudden. "I've done things my country isn't proud of, but they had to be done."

"And you turned a successful military career into a government job," Asuka stated.

"About a year ago," Shinji replied. "Unfortunately, a lot of the effects haven't fully worn off." He patted the pistol and sipped his beer. "Some things never leave you, even when you pray they would." Asuka nodded her understanding. As he drank Asuka thought about his story carefully.

"The tattoo on your right arm."

"Hm?" Shinji unbuttoned his shirt's cuff and rolled the sleeve up to show the two bullets. Asuka stared at it carefully this time. The Kanji read Takahashi and Kamakura. "Yeah. They died."

"I see," Asuka replied quietly.

"So, what about you?"

"After that?" Asuka asked, trying to lighten the mood a little. "When I turned eighteen I enrolled in an OCS program. I shot up the ranks pretty quick to Major. I hated the military life, so I resigned after six years. My government knew that I was familiar with Japanese culture and asked me to work as an aide in the German embassy here."

"Nice," Shinji stated. "Sounds like a good life."

"Yeah," Asuka replied. 'Good and empty,' she added silently. "So, what rank were you, a Captain?" Shinji laughed at her.

"I was a staff NCO," he stated in amusement. "The kinds of missions I did are the kinds that officers deny instead of going on. You know what NCO means, right?"

"I think so," Asuka stated, "but not in this context."

"No Civilian Opportunity," Shinji stated. "I had no opportunities for college and what not, so I never had a chance at a commission. Oh and congratulations."

"For what?" Asuka asked.

"You managed to keep me from killing you long enough for my training to override my instincts," Shinji stated. "I know a few people who can't make that claim. Don't ever do it again."

(:ii:)

"So, what is so important?" Reinhard asked.

"I've got new information on Shinji Ikari," Asuka stated. Reinhard frowned and glanced around the park they were sitting in.

"We looked into him and his partner the first time you told us," he stated. "He's a watchdog of some kind for the ISDF. We couldn't find exactly what his job is."

"Right now he's checking NERV for embezzling funds," Asuka stated. Reinhard nodded. "Did you do any digging in his past?"

"Yeah," Reinhard stated quietly. "He's one scary son of a bitch."

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked.

"The things he's done are terrifying," Reinhard stated. "He was kicked out of the army for destroying an entire town in Somalia."

"What?" Asuka demanded.

"Not here," Reinhard replied. "Here's an interesting tidbit. When the ISDF began its crack down, they caught wind of a French case officer. They tried to apprehend him, but he managed to flee in a car. The chase ended when the Frenchman slammed his car into Ikari's."

"That's when his wife died." Reinhard nodded.

"Be careful around him," he added. "The man is ex-Spec Ops and has a history of clinical Xenophobia. They say he's better, but I wouldn't be so sure."

"I've handled Spec Ops guys before," Asuka commented.

"Once and he barely counted. You've never handled anything like Ikari," Reinhard stated. "I don't think he was just Spec Ops, any way."

"What do you mean, just Spec Ops?" Asuka demanded.

"Not here," Reinhard stated. "Probably not anywhere. I'd like to reiterate, don't mess with him. He's an expert killer."

"I know," Asuka stated. She saw one of Reinhard's eyebrows cock upwards. "I searched his room and he found out somehow."

"Did you move anything?" Reinhard asked.

"Yes, but I put them back the way I found them," Asuka stated defiantly. "I'm not an amateur."

"Neither is Ikari," Reinhard stated. "He probably would have noticed if you had even opened the door. As it stands, you're lucky to be alive. I'm serious. He was a clinical case of xenophobia. The only think that kept him from being a raving serial killer was an extremely high level of training and discipline and the ability to kill people without prosecution. I still would have thought he would kill you though."

"I think he was about to," Asuka replied. "It's a good thing I'm an excellent liar. Oh, and he has a bug out bag in his room."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Reinhard stated. "Intel people aren't the only people to use them. A lot of soldiers who are deep into black operations use them too. That's mainly because their level of paranoia boarders on the psychotic. Of course the ones who aren't paranoid tend to die pretty quick."

"He ran black ops?" Asuka asked incredulously.

"His specialty while he was in the army," Reinhard explained. "I told you he was dangerous. Right now we're investigating his partner. How's everything going for you?"

"Not bad," Asuka stated. "I've mostly just been meeting with old friends and trying to reestablish a link. You were a case officer, you know this stuff takes time."

"That's not something we have a lot of," Reinhard commented quietly. "Anything else you'd like to bring up?"

"He has a gun," Asuka stated.

"I'd be shocked if he didn't," Reinhard replied. "What make?"

"It's. . ." Asuka paused. She had never been good with weapons. "It's some kind of 1911." She frowned as Reinhard jerked around sharply.

"A .45-caliber?" he demanded. "Which manufacturer did it come from? Did you see what kind of bullets it was using?"

"It was a Colt .45," Asuka stated. "It had a green frame with a black slide and grip panels. It also had threads for a suppressor and a light mounted to the frame."

"Are you sure it was a .45?" Reinhard demanded. Asuka opened her mouth to reply, but her cut her off. "Did you see caliber markings?"

"No, why?"

"That style comes in all sorts of calibers," Reinhard stated. "We bribed a coroner at the morgue where Direct Action team was sent. They were killed by .45-caliber pistols firing really fancy frangible rounds. If the man hadn't been an expert on ballistics, he wouldn't have figured it out. Right now the video captured on the store's cameras is being analyzed, so we aren't sure of the make."

"I can find out," Asuka offered.

"You can also come back with a .45 caliber slug between your eyes," Reinhard shot back. "Keep your nose out of it. We'll find out for ourselves."

(:ii:)

"She searched your stuff?"

"Yep," Shinji replied as he drank his beer.

"We should turn her in this instant!" Takeo raged. "Our position might be compromised."

"Relax," Shinji stated. "Nothing has been compromised. All she found was my bug out bag. It's sterile. You don't have anything incriminating in yours, do you?"

"Of course not," Takeo replied. "Why are you taking this so calmly?"

"I am a patient man," Shinji stated. "You don't come from a sniper background. I do. Patience is everything."

"She's a threat."

"It changes nothing," Shinji replied. "We'll have her put under surveillance once we get a few bodies running around here. Until them we have to check out as many leads as possible. We stay with the filing until we get some analysts." He saw the look on Takeo's face. "Concerns?"

"I just hope there isn't anything going on between you two that could affect your judgment," Takeo stated.

"There isn't," Shinji stated simply.

"Good," Takeo replied. "So, what was her reason?"

"Curiosity."

"Ironic choice," Takeo commented. "That killed the cat. You're still going out with Misato tonight, right?"

"That's right," Shinji stated. "We'll be out late. Play nice with the kraut."

"No promises."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Sorry for the slurs. They just kind of fit.


	7. Chapter 7: History

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Seven: History

"Bullshit Shinji."

"It's off," Shinji insisted as he pulled out his phone and thrust it into her hands. "See?" Misato stared skeptically down at the device.

"I think I'll hold onto this, if you don't mind."

"It's yours for the night," Shinji stated. "Kimi already called, so no one else of any importance is going to."

"What about your boss?" Misato asked.

"He has Takeo's number," Shinji replied dismissively. A tone sounded and the elevator doors opened.

"Speaking of whom," Misato began, "is it a good idea to leave him alone with Asuka?"

"Why?"

"I just get the sense that he doesn't like her," Misato stated. Shinji kept his amazement to himself. Women's intuition, scary stuff. "You know something!"

"Of course I do," Shinji replied as he began walking towards his motorcycle. "I know everything."

"Where are you going?"

"To start the bike," Shinji replied.

"We're not taking the bike," Misato stated. "I'm wearing a dress. We're taking the car."

"With the way you drive?" Shinji asked.

"Like you're any better!" Misato snapped.

"I learned to drive from you," Shinji commented. Misato glared at him.

"We're taking the car," she stated. Shinji sighed and tucked his keys back in his pocket.

"Fine."

(:ii:)

Nagao stared at the reports laid out in front of him. "So, she was a pencil pusher?"

"Yes, sir." Nagao frowned, considering this new information. It seemed that his worries about Asuka Sohryu had been misplaced. Originally he had very much disliked the idea of his top officer staying with a foreign ex-military officer. "I think she was being bred for generalship."

"She barely qualified with a rifle and she took no hand to hand courses or real combat classes," Nagao noted. "Her pistol score was outstanding though."

"It was competition style, not practical. That aside, she's about as much of a non-combatant as they come, sir," Officer Nanasawa stated. "She stands no chance against Ikari. I'll call him and tell him that he can relax a little."

"Don't," Nagao ordered. "I want him on guard around her at all times. Training means nothing between a person with a pistol and a person without. This isn't the old days where skill was all that mattered."

"I see," Nanasawa replied. "We have more than enough evidence to cause suspicion, sir. We should bring her in."

"I agree with Ikari's report," Nagao stated. "We'll bring her in when he believes it to be necessary.

"What of the history between them?" Nanasawa asked. "Could that affect his decision making ability."

"I doubt it," Nagao replied. "His reports show a very concise and clear way of thinking. Is there anything else?"

"Out partners found out about Doctor Miho," Nanasawa stated. Nagao tensed at the mention of the traitor, the man who was the case of his worry about NERV.

"So?"

"They asked if we would like their assistance," Nanasawa stated. Nagao scowled. He hated foreigners who believed that what another country did was their business. Their partners were amongst the worst in this category.

"Tell those bastards that if I wanted to make this situation a bureaucratic cluster fuck, I would ask for their assistance!" Nagao thundered. "I thank them for their assistance in establishing the ISDF, but this is not their country."

"Yes sir," Nanasawa replied. "What is we catch any of their officers, sir?"

"We send them back to the CIA with a set of lumps," Nagao growled.

(:ii:)

"Did Shinji and Misato go out?"

"Yeah," Takeo stated. He watched as the German walked into the room and sat next to him on the couch.

"What's this?"

"Old spaghetti western," Takeo replied. "The dubbing is horrible, but it's funny."

"Ah," Asuka replied. She turned and smiled at Takeo. "We really haven't gotten a chance to talk, have we?" Takeo muted the TV.

"I guess not," he replied, wondering what he should do if she tried to recruit him. He was sure she was an officer. Would the boss be pissed if he knocked her out and gave her directly to Nagao?

"So," Asuka began, "how did you come to work with Shinji?"

"I was a member of a Special Operations team in the MSDF," Takeo explained. "I had a minor incident and retired from the military. The ISDF offered me a job and I took it.

"Does the ISDF usually hire Spec Ops guys to become watch dogs?" Asuka asked. Takeo felt an eyebrow rise. He supposed the term fit Shinji's cover story. Ironically, it also fit their actual job.

"Watchdog," he repeated. "I like that. The answer is, you'd be surprised. Spec Ops people are observant, patient, and highly motivated." He considered her carefully. "How did you meet Shinji?"

"I met him a long time ago," Asuka stated. "It was back when we were teenagers. We were working for NERV and Misato was our guardian." Takeo frowned. Now she had his interest.

"What were teenagers doing working for NERV?" he asked.

"That's classified," Asuka replied, "sorry."

"It's fine." Being in the world of covert warfare, Takeo had long ago come to terms with the finality of that answer.

"So, I know how Shinji ended up in the military. How about you?"

"My choice," Takeo stated. "My family is fairly well to do, but the men have served in the Japanese military for centuries."

"Wow," Asuka replied. She frowned and reached into her pocket for her phone. "Excuse me, I have to take this."

"Not a problem."

(:ii:)

Asuka scowled and stepped into the kitchen. The man was hopeless. She knew his type. He obviously loved his country to much to betray it and he was way too sharp to be tricked. 'How could anyone believe in something so deeply?' she wondered. She loved her country, but that kind of devotion, well, she wasn't sure she could muster it.

At least with Shinji there was a lack of patriotism. Asuka was sure she could sway him to her way of thinking. A picture on the counter caught her attention. She had passed it a dozen times, but never noticed it. It was of Shinji, Misato, and the little girl that Asuka had come to identify as Kimiko Ikari.

'That could be useful,' a calculating part of Asuka's mind decided. She frowned immediately. Such things were not her favorite ideas, but if push came to shove, the girl would prove a useful bargaining chip for Asuka to use against her father.

"What have I become?"

(:ii:)

Reinhard leaned back in his seat and stared at the screen of his computer. On it two men in black combat gear swarmed through the building, taking out the Direct Action team with remarkable speed. "Woo," Joseph Heinrich commented brightly.

"We wondered which agency was using those imported H&K Mk. 23s," Reinhard commented. "We never saw them after they were imported, but H&K kept getting orders for more replacement parts and units."

"Well, I guess they were looking for good guns," Joseph stated. "Can't fault them for that."

"Or maybe they were going on someone else's suggestion," Reinhard stated.

"Americans?" Joseph asked. "You think there's something more than training going on between America and Japan?"

"America is the only country to use Mk. 23s in any significant number," Reinhard stated.

"I suppose," Joseph replied. "So, you still haven't told Sohryu the full story behind her buddy Ikari."

"If I told her everything she would blow her cover," Reinhard commented as he rewound the footage and watched it again. "God damn they're good. Anyway, if I told her, do you think she'd ever look at him the same again?" Joseph considered this.

"Nope. She's definitely begin acting funny around him," he stated. "That would draw his attention, but do you think it's a good idea to let her go on thinking he's just some Spec Ops guy?"

"She knows enough to be wary," Reinhard said flatly.

"She said something about a pistol," Joseph pressed. "What color did she say it was?"

"Black and green," Reinhard answered. "Ring any bells?"

"Yeah," Joseph replied. "I only know of one manufacturer who makes weapons in those colors. It's called Wilson Combat. The weapons are excellent, but pricey. Hell, its what I carry. That sounds like a CQB. I think that pistol only comes in .45-caliber."

"I'll look into it," Reinhard promised.

"Do you really think Ikari was a Black?" Joseph asked.

"You'd know better than I would," Reinhard commented. "I'd say yes."

"He seems the type," Joseph agreed. "He has the skills and the abilities. Not to mention the necessary. . .how should I put this? Moral flexibility, that's it. I'd love to run into him on the battlefield."

"You're insane," Reinhard pointed out. Joseph grinned.

"A little," he commented. "But than again, most Black Operations personnel are."

(:ii:)

Misato staggered into the apartment and pulled off her stilettos as soon as she could. "Thank god." The heels were a marvel, but also a major pain. She staggered into the TV room, intent on going to bed, but froze when she saw Asuka watching TV. "Kind of late, don't you think?"

"I could say the same about you," Asuka commented. "Been making rounds at the local love motels with Shinji?"

"I'll have you know," Misato began, "we're not like that."

"You'd like to be," Asuka accused. Misato paused.

"Damn strait. He's a fine man." She smirked as Asuka fell silent with no smart comeback.

"He's too young for you," she stated finally.

"Not for you," Misato replied teasingly. She saw the anger flare in Asuka's eyes as the woman shot to her feet.

"You. . ."

"I know, I know," Misato replied, waving a hand dismissingly. "Too bad he doesn't really date any more."

"She must have been an amazing woman," Asuka commented. She had found herself becoming extremely curious about the woman who had changed Shinji so radically.

"She was," Misato replied, reminiscing over long lost happier times. "They used to live in the apartment next door, did you know that?" Asuka shook her head. "I was a little jealous of how she brought out the best in him. They were dating for almost a year before you left, but Shinji kept it a secret. They got married about a year after you left."

"He mentioned her name, but I can't remember," Asuka commented.

"Kairi," Misato stated. "Her name was Kairi. They moved shortly after they got married. She was originally from somewhere else and had been visiting when they met. She stayed with her sister here so they could date. Even after they moved, they still visited a lot."

"That must have been nice," Asuka commented.

"It was," Misato replied. "I'm Kimi's god mother. I was there when she was born and Shinji asked me on the spot." Almost unnoticeable she murmured, "Thank god for Kimi."

"What do you mean?" Asuka asked. Misato sighed.

"In my heart I believe that Shinji would have died if it weren't for Kimi," Misato stated. "Kairi's death utterly crushed him. It was Kimi that helped him recover from his injuries and carry on with life."

"He was hurt?" Asuka asked.

"Horribly," Misato replied. "It was a year before he returned to work, although, with his wounds, he shouldn't have ever gone back."

(:ii:)

"Hey Shinji!" Shinji turned and forced a smile as he spotted his old friend limping towards him.

"Hey Kensuke." The bespectacled man set down the bag he was carrying and took Shinji's offered hand.

"You guys having fun?" Shinji's smile slipped a little, but he got control back quickly.

"Yeah," he replied flatly. Kensuke grinned broadly. He kneeled and unzipped the bag.

"I've got your standard pieces of a kit here," he declared as he withdrew a short, wicked-looking black weapon. "Isn't it hilarious?"

"Hilarious?" Shinji asked.

"This is a kraut gun!" Kensuke declared, "and here you guys are killing krauts."

"Yeah."

"Where's that Takeo kid?" Kensuke asked, looking around.

"Waiting in the car," Shinji replied. He took the rifle from Kensuke and put it back in the bag.

"I don't like that kid," Kensuke commented.

"Fine," Shinji replied. "Did you give us everything we asked for?"

"Of course," Kensuke replied. "H&K 416s with the ten inch barrels and the shotgun, just like you asked."

"Give our regards to Kita."

"Can you put in a good work for me?" Kensuke asked suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm trying to get back out in the field," Kensuke declared. Shinji considered pointing out that he had never been in the field as an officer. "You're Kita's top kick. He trusts you more than anyone." Shinji considered the man in front of him. Out of shape and crippled by a bullet to his knee, among other things. Kensuke would not be his first choice to watch his back.

Then there was the attitude. Kensuke had the typical rear echelon blasé attitude. He spoke too much about killing without ever having done it himself. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks!" Kensuke turned and hobbled off. Takeo dropped down from the shipping containing he had been sitting on.

"Are you serious?" he demanded. "He's a fucking chair borne ranger, sir! Has he even seen combat before?"

"How do you think he got that limp?" Shinji asked. "He was in the GSDF. He was a sergeant when he was first deployed. In a firefight he saw the enemy retreating and led his platoon forward."

"It was an ambush, wasn't it?" Takeo asked.

"That's right," Shinji stated. "All his men were killed. He managed to crawl out. Top brass had a hearing and found him not guilty of anything. Even gave him a bunch of medals and a commission from being wounded and bravery. That's why we've got to salute him."

"You don't," Takeo noted.

"He's an old friend of mine," Shinji stated.

"Are you really going to talk to Kita?" Takeo asked.

"Sure am," Shinji replied. "I'm going to tell Kita to keep that guy right where he is. If I wouldn't have him watching my back than I sure as hell ain't going to send him off to watch someone else's."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. No action and lots a talking. Blegh. I really don't like Kensuke.


	8. Chapter 8: Close Calls

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Eight: Close Calls

Shinji opened the duffel bag and stared down at the weapons contained inside. "It's not a good thing when they start handing out the artillery, is it?" Takeo asked.

"Nope," Shinji replied. He looked up and watched as Tokyo-3 shot past the windows. He glanced back down at the bag. He dug through it carefully to make sure everything he had requested was there.

"Anything about noisy redheaded Germans?" Takeo asked.

"Not yet," Shinji replied. "What do you have against her?"

"She's too damned arrogant," Takeo stated, "just like every officer I've ever had to put up with."

"She was an officer in the German army," Shinji commented.

"Makes sense," Takeo replied. "What do you think, sir?"

"No arguing," Shinji replied.

"How long do you think we're going to be here?" Takeo asked.

"As long as it takes," Shinji replied. "Why? You got someone waiting for you?"

"I'd like to try and work on that," Takeo replied. "It'd be kind of nice to have a girlfriend for longer than two months. Of course, the messy breakup later always sucks."

"What about that tootsie from NERV?"

"Couldn't hold an intelligent conversation to save her life," Takeo stated.

"That's your problem!" Shinji exclaimed. "Your standards are too damn high." He finished hunting through the bag. "Son of a bitch!"

"What?"

"No SAPI plates," Shinji growled, angered endlessly over the lack of bullet-proof plates. He had asked for them specifically. "I'm going to kill that fucking quarter master." He dug a note out of the bag. "Our request for Small Arms Protective Inserts has been denied."

"Isn't Kita the only one who can do that?" Takeo asked.

"Yup."

(:ii:)

Misato looked up and frowned as Shinji and Takeo walked into the apartment. "Where the hell have you two been?"

"Taking care of something," Shinji replied.

"It's five in the morning!" Misato exclaimed.

"Our job has no set hours," Shinji stated. He slung the duffel bag he was carrying over his shoulder and kneeled to tug off his boots. Takeo just kicked off his shoes and staggered to the couch where he promptly passed out. "Greed knows no exhaustion."

"Neither do you," Misato commented. Shinji laughed.

"I know exhaustion just fine," he stated. "I just choose to drown it in caffeine."

"Right," Misato replied. "Asuka had somewhere to go. She said she probably wouldn't be back until some time tomorrow, well, I guess that'd be today now."

"Alright," Shinji replied. "It's about my bedtime right now. I'll see you in the morning."

"It is morning," Misato commented.

"Morning is relative," Shinji replied as he disappeared into his room and slid the door shut.

(:ii:)

Shinji yawned and stretched. He felt much better now. He pushed his door open and stepped out into the hall. Asuka was sitting on the couch in front of the TV. "Morning."

"It's five in the afternoon," Asuka replied. Shinji decided to save his relativity argument for another time. He needed to head to NERV and begin searching through all those damn files again. 'Those analysts better hurry the fuck up.'

"Where's Misato?"

"Work," Asuka replied. Shinji nodded and looked around.

"Where's Takeo?"

"When I came in he wandered off somewhere with a blanket," Asuka replied. "God you people. You want to sleep all day and get pissy when you can't because everyone else is awake."

"Huh," Shinji replied. He opened the laundry room door and stared at the pile of blankets on the floor. It was, undoubtedly, his partner. "Get up."

"I am up," Takeo replied, his voice muffled by the blankets. "I haven't been able to get any sleep with that damn kraut blaring the TV."

"Now you're just sounding like a racist," Shinji commented as he prodded the pile with his toe. "You could have just come to my room. It's quiet in there." Takeo's head appeared from under the blanket.

"Hm. I can do without having a gun stuck in my face by a groggy and annoyed soldier."

"Point taken," Shinji replied. "Now up. We've got business to attend to."

"What kind of business?" Takeo asked as he sat up and pulled the blankets off of himself.

"Your favorite kind," Shinji stated. "We're off to do the filing."

"I hate files."

(:ii:)

Shinji scanned through the papers locked into the folder in his hand. "Frenchy."

"Kraut," Takeo added, lying another file down in a separate pile. He picked up another. "Limey." Shinji leaned back and stared at the piles of personnel reports laid out on the desk. They were all the NERV personnel from outside Japan. Currently they were being segregated by country of origin since most people were more disposed towards spying for their own country than any other. Shinji picked up another folder and flipped it open.

"Commie."

"The curtain came down a while ago, sir," Takeo commented.

"Once a commie. . ."

". . .always a commie," Takeo finished. He set another file down. "American." Shinji picked up another folder.

"Canadian." Takeo looked up. "I shit you not."

"Shouldn't it be Canadan? Canadians should be from Canadia," Takeo replied. "Canadian bacon really is just ham, right?"

"I think so," Shinji replied as he set the lone Canadian file down and pulled out his cell phone while pulling the pile of American folders in front of him. Orders were to report all Americans to the boss. It just wouldn't do to shake sown some poor CIA agent.

Probably hurt the agreements between the USA and Japan if Japan killed a bunch of American spies.

"Hello?"

"It's Ikari," Shinji stated. He rattled off the names of the Americans and their social security numbers. "Where do you want us to go from here?"

"The Germans are the most visible threat."

"You ID'ed that direct action team?" Shinji asked.

"All former German Spec Ops," Nagao replied. "How many Huns?"

"More than two men can track," Shinji replied. "I think we've done as much with the files as possible."

"Right," Nagao replied. "I've got analysts coming to you now. They'll arrive some time tomorrow. Listen to your gut."

"Right." Shinji flipped his phone shut.

"What did he say?"

"Something about listening to your gut," Shinji stated. He was pondering the plate situation. Something wasn't sitting right with him.

"Sohryu." Shinji chuckled, pushing away his suspicions for now, and glanced through the files in the German pile.

"Your infatuation with. . ."

"Obsession."

"What?"

"Infatuation sounds like I like her," Takeo stated. "I'd prefer obsession."

"Right." Shinji froze as he spotted a face he knew. "I'll take this guy."

"Any particular reason?"

"My gut tells me to," Shinji stated as he stared at the man. 'Time to collect on that favor you owe me, buddy.'

(:ii:)

Asuka glanced down at the compact in her hands and smiled. The fake blond hair covered her own crimson locks perfectly. She looked up at her target and made her way across the bar. "Hello Manfred." Asuka smiled brightly at the stern looking man sitting at the bar.

"Do I know you?" he demanded in a low rasp. Asuka feigned looking hurt.

"It's me," she stated, "Loretta Wulf." It was an old cover name used by many German female officers. Now she was using it to identify herself as an officer. The man obviously understood as his eyes narrowed and lips curled.

"You've got balls, little girl," he growled. "Now go away. I don't work for you people anymore."

"Come on now," Asuka badgered as she sat down. "Let me buy you a drink."

"Do you know who I am?" Manfred Walther asked. "I could kill you where you stand and no one in the bar would notice. That option is starting to look tempting." Asuka frowned. The man was definitely not happy about seeing another German. Of course, with his experiences, she could understand.

"Come on, where's your patriotism?" she asked, feigning cheer.

"Buried with my men in Somalia," Manfred hissed.

"We can give you anything you want," Asuka stated. "Do you want money, a commission in the Army, how about your wife?"

"I want my men back you bitch," Manfred hissed. "Next time they want to fuck over a soldier, think about the consequences instead of the political repercussions." He rose and Asuka scowled.

"Listen here," she growled.

"No," Manfred stated. He looked her up and down. "A little girl. What were they hoping? I'd be so desperate to get my rocks off that they sent you? Couldn't have sent a soldier, no. A soldier probably would have sympathized with me, so they send some little bimbo." He finished her beer and paid the bartender. Finally Asuka's rage died down enough for her to speak.

"Enjoy the rest of your life," she hissed. "Who knows how much longer it will last?"

(:ii:)

Reinhard frowned as he read Asuka's typed report from her meeting with Manfred Walther. She was either a lousy typist with a Blackberry's tiny keypad or she had been pissed off. Every other word was misspelled. "Probably angry," he decided as he began interpreting the gibberish. The report was much less amusing when he could understand it. He hadn't expected much, but open hostility was bad.

Manfred Walther had been a rising star in the German Army before moving to the Intelligence field. He had led direct actions teams in dozens of locales. In Somalia his team had be assured of fire support on an op in a city that had allied itself with the UN coalition. They had been cut off and called in for help. Germany, fearing repercussions for opening fire on a supposedly friendly city, had abandoned them and then warned the Somali government in the city in hopes of gaining their trust.

Abandoned and betrayed they had fought their way across the city, destroying as much as they could and giving no prisoners. It was as Germany had hoped only, somehow Manfred had dragged himself out of that hell hole. A passing Spec Ops team had found him almost dead and dragged him to a Red Cross hospital. Germany had ordered an attempt on his life, but the assassin had been caught and killed, probably an inevitable outcome of sending the assassin into a hospital full of injured Spec Ops soldiers, and Manfred had moved to Japan, gaining citizenship soon after.

Reinhard knew that the Japanese government knew of Manfred's past. They would be fools not to use him.

Manfred would have to be taken care of the right way this time. 'When you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.'

(:ii:)

"Well that's odd," Shinji commented as he watched the German work. The man was putting large tape crosses on the windows of his apartment. Did he know something that Shinji's didn't?

Shinji's phone vibrated and he tugged it out. The screen showed Kita's number. "Hello?"

"Are you tailing Manfred Walther?"

"That's affirmative, sir," Shinji reported.

"He's one of ours," Kita stated. Shinji scowled. It was lack of data like that, that led to major cluster fucks and unnecessary deaths.

"Don't you think you should have told me when I reported?" Shinji demanded. "What if I had decided to he was a threat? I would have put a bullet in his skull!" After a moment Shinji's brain caught up with his mouth. "Sir," he added.

"Close calls happen," Kita stated.

"That doesn't mean I have to fucking like it," Shinji hissed. He ended the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He glanced around the street and shrugged. Might was well go say 'hi.'

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Someone once asked me how I come up with story ideas. I've decided to enlighten you.

Me: I've been thinking about an Eva crossover with Sledge Hammer.  
Friend: What's Sledge Hammer?  
Me: How the hell can you not know what Sledge Hammer is?  
Friend: What is it?  
Me: It's a show from the late eighties.  
Friend: You were born in the late eighties.  
Me: So?  
Friend: So how the hell do you know about Sledge Hammer?  
Me: I don't know. So, anyway, its about a psychotic, sexist, comically violent cop in love with his .44 Magnum.  
Friend: Sounds like you.  
Me: I'm not sexist.  
Friend: ponders idea You want to have Shinji raised by him, don't you?  
Me: Yup.  
Friend: laughing That's ridiculous!  
Me: laughing Yeah.  
Friend: When are you posting it?  
Me: Still working out some plot bugs.  
Friend: Plot. You. Yeah right.  
Me: Blow me. Pass the Jack.  
Friend: You've had enough.  
Me: Don't make me hurt you.  
Friend: Fine. God damned Irish/German Marine.

Yeah. That's about how most of my stories come to be. Jack Daniels is the father of all inspiration.


	9. Chapter 9: Tell Me

I don't own anything.

Intelligence:

-Chapter Nine: Tell Me

Shinji knocked on the door and listened carefully. He couldn't hear any movement from inside the apartment. "Who's there?"

"Room service," Shinji called. The door cracked open and Shinji stared right at the eyes peering at him from inside.

"Ikari?"

"You owe me at least four beers," Shinji stated. "Let's go."

"What?" Manfred began brilliantly.

"Fine, I'll pay this time. Now come on," Shinji pressed. "Since when did a German turn down free beer?" Manfred's eyes narrowed.

"Very funny you damn Jap," he shot back. "I'll have you know that Germans will always turn down that piss water you Japs call beer. Now what's this about?"

"We can talk over the beers," Shinji stated. "A little trust for the man who saved your ass?" The door closed and Shinji heard a chain lock being undone. The door opened and Manfred stepped out with his hands in his pockets.

"You work for Japan, right?"

"Well, being Japanese and all. . ."

"You know what I mean," Manfred interrupted. Shinji chuckled and dug out his wallet out of his pocket. He flipped it open to show his ID. "Internal Affairs? What kind of shit is that?"

"It's a cover obviously," Shinji stated. "You want a drink or not?"

"You first old buddy," Manfred replied. Shinji caught sight of the slight bulge in the man's coat and smirked.

"I knew you'd be happy to see me."

"Just move."

(:ii:)

"So, you're Japanese IA at the moment, right?"

"I am pretty good at stabbing people in the back," Shinji commented as he took a sip from his pint.

"True," Manfred allowed as he pick up his beer. "How's your daughter? Did you manage to finish paying for her surgeries?" Shinji hesitated.

"I just realized how long it's been since we saw each other," he stated. "It was the UN hospital in South Korean, right?"

"Yeah," Manfred replied. "I still owe you for the save, even though I have chronic indigestion now."

"Beggars can't be choosers," Shinji pointed out.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I work for the JSISDF," Shinji stated. "We're tracking German activity in this city. I was wondering if you'd heard anything."

"Had a perky wigged blond ask me something similar," Manfred replied. "About five ten maybe one thirty to one forty." Shinji dug out a tiny notebook and wrote that down quickly. He pushed the book back into his pocket and picked up his beer again.

"Could you pick her out of a picture?"

"No," Manfred stated. "She was wearing the wig and a big pair of sunglasses."

"How do you know she was German?"

"She identified herself using an old code name that was popular with German case officers," Manfred explained.

"An old code name?" Shinji asked. "You sure she wasn't another nationality trying to trick you?"

"I'm sure," Manfred stated. "Level with me."

"On what?"

"What were you doing in Somalia?" Manfred asked. "I mean, what was your mission when you found me?"

"Did you ever hear of a small village north of Mogadishu that was obliterated when a Japanese soldier from the First Airborne Brigade called in an artillery barrage?" Shinji asked. Manfred's brows knit as he thought and then his eyes widened.

"That was you?" Shinji nodded. "Jesus. I read about the casualty numbers. What did they do to you?"

"They killed my team," Shinji stated. "Orders were to observe the village. I don't know how, but they spotted us and dropped a mortar on our hide. We had been given orders telling up to act as we saw necessary. I saw it necessary to erase that fucking cesspit."

"Damn," Manfred replied. "Is that why you aren't in the army anymore?"

"Yep. A promotion and an honorable discharge to get rid of me and shut me up." Shinji raised his glass. "To the dead guys."

"Rest in peace," Manfred agreed as he raised his glass in toast.

(:ii:)

"What the hell?" Asuka stared at the two men sitting near the back of the bar. She had been hunting through all of Manfred's known hangouts in search of the older man. Reinhard had sent her to do a bit of aggressive negotiation.

Asuka knew he wouldn't be threatened into helping them. He had no real family to use and was obviously not afraid of dying himself. That meant they would have to kill him. There was a sniper waiting outside for just the opportunity should Asuka give him the go ahead.

For now Asuka just watched as Shinji and Manfred drank and talked. Shinji pulled out a picture and passed it to the older German. His weathered face split into a grin and he handed the picture back. He said something and Shinji grinned as well. They looked, for the entire world, like a pair of old friends catching up on missed time.

Asuka scowled. Reinhard was going to have a lot of explaining to do when she found him. This time he wasn't going to get away with that 'not here' answer. She was going to find out what was going on or she was going to wring his little pencil neck! Asuka turned and walked out of the bar, tugging her cell phone out of her purse.

"Cancel the shot," she stated. "I repeat, cancel the shot."

"Cancel the shot," the man on the fifth floor of the building across the street repeated. "I copy."

(:ii:)

"So, what's your big plan for the German problem?" Manfred asked. "You do have a plan, right?"

"Manny," Shinji began, "I always have a plan."

"Well?" Manfred pressed.

"We find someone who knows more than we do and torture him until he gives us another name," Shinji stated. "Kiss. Keep it simple, stupid."

"The UN would not approve of that," Manfred commented.

"They wouldn't approve of my choice of words," Shinji corrected.

"Eh." Manfred shrugged, but didn't bother denying it. "Whose authority are we working under?"

"ISDF," Shinji stated. "We?" he added. "Are you coming along? Aren't these your countrymen?"

"I thought so too and then they sold me out to the fucking Somalis," Manfred replied.

"I'm surprised you'd work for any covert government units after that," Shinji commented.

"I like Japan's system," Manfred stated. "There's almost no bureaucracy here. The system is more streamlined and everyone is working towards a common goal."

"It is a good one," Shinji allowed.

"Shall we begin?"

"I've have four pints," Shinji pointed out. "You've have six. How about tomorrow?"

"Pft. Lightweight."

"Kiss my ass kraut."

(:ii:)

Nagao frowned as he leafed through the reports that had been piling up on his desk. This situation in Tokyo-3 was becoming a bigger problem than he had anticipated. It was good he had his best man there and even better that his best man knew the area. "What's the status of the backup being sent into Tokyo-3?"

"They'll be arriving in the city before morning," Nagao secretary reported.

"Good," Nagao stated. "What kind of equipment are we sending them with?"

"Heavy," Nanasawa stated. "With Ikari's last run in with that direct action team, Tokyo-3 had been classified as a stage-2 area."

"Excellent." Nagao stood and stretched. "Did we turn up anything more on the stiffs that Ikari and Yoshikawa dragged in?"

"Nothing new," Nanasawa stated. "They were all German and ex-military Spec Ops. Now they're all dead German ex-military Spec Ops. It's a dead end."

"Of course," Nagao picked up the latest report and scowled down at it. Instead of a field report it was a report from his superiors. They didn't like his conduct. He tossed it in the rubbish bin.

(:ii:)

Reinhard winced as the door to his temporary office burst open and a very pissed off looking redhead walked in. "Wow," he stated. "You found my office. I was kind of hoping you wouldn't be able to."

"Who the hell is Shinji Ikari?" Asuka demanded. Reinhard glanced around. "I will force you to tell me if you say that this isn't the place."

"I see," Reinhard replied. "He's Internal Affairs with the ISDF and ex-Spec Ops. Actually, you'd probably know better than I do."

"Why was he meeting with Manfred Walther?" That got Reinhard's attention.

"He was doing what?" His explosive reaction seemed to steal all of the redhead's fire.

"Shinji was meeting with Walther at the bar when I went to find him," she stated. "They seemed rather chummy." Reinhard shot to his feet and almost ripped open one of the filing cabinets against the wall. He dug out a thick folder and laid it on his desk. There was no way that they could have worked together. The analysts would have seen that and tagged it. As he expected, he found nothing.

"What the hell?" An idea struck him and he sat down behind his computer. He accessed the German military reports from Somalia and found the letter that had been sent to them regarding a German soldier found half dead in the desert. It was from the Japanese government. ". . .was rescued by a Japanese Special Operations team," he read. "Fuck!" It must have been Shinji who rescued Manfred.

"What is it?" Asuka demanded.

"I'll tell you later," Reinhard stood. He needed to look into this. 'I hope that sniper still has a bead on. . .' "Erk!"

"You'll tell me now," Asuka hissed, the hand holding his collar twisting and making his gag.

"Okay," Reinhard squeaked. "Don't blame me."

"For what?"

"You'll see," Reinhard stated as Asuka let him go. He his the button on his intercom. "Please call Joseph to my office."

"Yes sir," Reinhard's secretary replied.

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. The chronic indigestion this will be explained later.


	10. Chapter 10: The Past

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Ten: The Past

Asuka glared at the man sitting across from her. "Well?"

"Patience is a virtue, Sohryu," Reinhard stated.

"Not one of mine," Asuka shot back.

"We're waiting for Joseph," Reinhard explained.

"Who?"

"Joseph is a specialist," Reinhard explained. "I requested that he come here when we began investigating Ikari."

"What kind of specialist?" Asuka asked.

"He was Army Special Forces for a long time and then moved on to working for the government," Reinhard explain.

"Makes sense," Asuka replied. "Shinji was Spec Ops too."

"He was more than that."

"You said that before and never explain it," Asuka pointed out.

"You'll learn why." The door opened and a well-built man with steel gray hair stepped into the room.

"You want Italian? I was going to order from that place up the road." He stopped when he saw Asuka. "Or did you already eat?"

"Cute," Reinhard stated. "Miss Sohryu is demanding to know what we believe about her friend. Seeing as how she's currently working this city and living with him, I think we should probably explain it."

"You're the boss," Joseph replied. He grabbed a seat and dragged it over. "I have to warn you though. If we tell you, I guarantee that you'll never look at Ikari the same again. If you start acting skittish, he will become suspicious. That's why we didn't tell you."

"Fine," Asuka stated.

"You want Italian?" Joseph asked.

"Just spill it!" Asuka exploded.

"Easy," Joseph replied. "You'll pop a blood vessel. How much do you know about what Ikari did in the service?"

"He said he was a base medic in the First Airborne Brigade," Asuka stated. "After his wife was killed he was sent into combat and excelled at special operations."

"Do you know anything about the operations he was on?" Joseph asked.

"No," Asuka answered.

"You're friend was deployed as part of a sniper team," Joseph stated.

"With Sergeants Takahashi and Kamakura," Asuka stated.

"Yeah," Joseph continued. "He worked as rear security and medic for the team in the First Airborne. His team was deployed around the world."

"It's surprising," Asuka admitted. "I was shocked when I first found out, but it's not exactly horrifying like you made it out to be."

"Heh." Joseph's perpetual grin widened. "Tell me, what do you know about Black Ops?"

(:ii:)

"Are you sure we can trust this guy?" Takeo asked as he stared at the dossier he was reading. "He sounds like a loyal German citizen to me."

"He was," Shinji stated, "at least until his unit got fucked over big time."

"What makes you so sure we can trust him?" Takeo asked.

"I saved his life," Shinji stated. "I ran into him in Somalia. He was shot to shit and his guts were spilling out. I didn't really think he'd survive, but I stuck his insides back inside and carried him until we were picked up by a Japanese convoy."

"How far?"

"About eighty kilometers," Shinji stated. "He didn't weigh much. Most of his blood was gone. I had to give him a couple of transfusions. Good thing we're the same blood type."

"Sounds like a lot of trouble over a lost cause," Takeo commented. "Why'd you do it?"

"I don't really know," Shinji admitted. "I was out of it, running on auto pilot. Whatever the reason, he lived. We hooked up with a GSDF convoy that took us to an FOB where we were shipped to a UN hospital in South Korea. Somebody tried to sneak in and knife him, but in a hospital full of battle-tweaking spec ops guys, it didn't work so well. That was the last I saw of him."

"I see," Takeo replied. "There's a lesson in this."

"Oh?"

"If you see a chance to help someone, take it," Takeo stated. "You never know how they'll be able to repay you." Shinji had to laugh at that one. He stood and finished the beer in his hand. 'Always seem to be drinking when I come here,' he noted absently.

"We're going out."

"Where?" Takeo asked.

"Our backup has arrived," Shinji stated. "We're going to go meet them." Shinji hesitated. "What happened to following Sohryu?" Takeo looked rather embarrassed. He mumbled something. "What was that?"

"She lost me," Takeo repeated louder.

"She's a redhead. This is Japan. Explain."

"Schoolgirls have been dying their hair for years," Takeo replied defensively. "You aren't that old. Didn't you ever pay attention in school?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied, "to my teachers and the subjects."

"Well, that sounds boring."

(:ii:)

Shinji pushed the doors open and stepped into the bar. "Ikari!" Shinji nodded towards the man who was waving at him and quickly made his way over.

"They sent you, Fujita?" Naota Fujita glared at Shinji.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the older man demanded.

"Thought you retired," Shinji stated as he sat. "Old enough for it."

"Ain't that the truth?" Naota asked. He gestured absently with his left arm. The short sleeve shirt showed off the gauze wrapped there.

"Getting slow in your old age?" Shinji teased.

"Wait till you're as old as me," Naota growled.

"I don't think that's possible." Naota scowled as glanced at Takeo.

"That your new guy?"

"Takeo Yoshikawa," Takeo supplied as he sat.

"This is Dan Kimura."

"Nice to meet you," Dan stated as he held out his hand.

"Same." Shinji shook the man's hand and looked around for a waitress. He was hungry.

"So, how about a SITREP?"

"Germans," Shinji stated, "a lot of big, scary Germans with big, scary German guns. A few days ago we brought down an E-warfare team and later had to take out a DA team sent to check it out."

"Was the DA team German?"

"Disavowed, of course," Shinji replied.

"Of course," Naota agreed. "Doesn't bode well that they have enough people running around here to support that kind of thing."

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "Is the geezer up for some skull bashing?"

"Point the way, boy," Naota shot back. Shinji glanced at Dan and Takeo out of the corners of his eyes.

"I guess that makes you two babies."

(:ii:)

"Do you know what a Black operator is?" Asuka stared at the man sitting across from her.

"I've never heard of a Black operator," she stated. "I mean, outside of movies and comics. I've heard of real-like Black operations, but never a black operator."

"Well, its pretty self explanatory," Joseph stated. "A Black operator, or just Black, carries out only Black operations. They are similar to spec ops people, but there is a major difference."

"What?" Asuka asked.

"Black are deniable," Joseph explained. "The Combat Swimmers are still in the Navy, the KSK is still in the Army, so on and so forth. Black have been discharged. Often they work for a private military company that was set up using government slush funds. That way the soldiers can't be connected to a government at all. It's a lot like how direct action teams are set up."

"So a black operator is the same as a DA man?" Asuka asked.

"No," Joseph stated flatly. "DA teams use subterfuge. They are assassins, saboteurs, and trainers. Black use warfare, but you'll never see them."

"This all started long ago," Reinhard began. "In America of course, they have a talent for this sort of thing. They discovered, through trial and error, that the way they fought wars without fighting was wrong."

"Wait a second, Buddha," Asuka cut in. "Fought without fighting? Any other Zen zingers?"

"Defeating your enemy without fighting yourself," Reinhard clarified. "You know about this; training guerillas, raising opposing armies, covertly donating weapons. Every country does it."

"So, they decided to fight without fighting. . .by fighting themselves?" Asuka asked.

"By George I think she's got it," Joseph chimed in. "Confusing, yes? Welcome to the world of black ops. You'd go crazy trying to understand everything, it happens often enough. Then I have to go track down another one whose gone rogue. God I'm sick of rogues."

"So the Americans made a team of disavowed soldiers to fight for them, because they could be trusted not to turn on America like some of their past allies?" Asuka asked.

"More like, less likely to turn on them," Reinhard corrected. "People do strange things when they figure out they can't be prosecuted. Some of the world's worst terrorists have been black operators that turned on their host country."

"Host country?" Asuka asked.

"Well, it's not just the Americans anymore," Reinhard explained. "Good ideas spread. Most countries have some form of black operations teams off fighting somewhere for them."

"What do you mean by warfare?" Asuka asked.

"Black typically operate in squad or platoon size," Reinhard explained. "They always have superior equipment and use it to gain ridiculous advantages against much larger conventional forces in hit and run tactics. They get in, cause ridiculous amounts of damage, and get out before the enemy can really react. Throughout their existence they have always maintained a shoot first and shoot more mindset, because if they didn't, they'd be killed."

"The amount of destruction Black teams can cause is disproportionate," Joseph added. "This is in large part because they don't have to care about collateral damage. Believe it or not, modern fighting forces show a lot of restraint."

"What if the building is a school or a hospital?" Asuka demanded.

"Shouldn't have had soldiers in there in the first place," Joseph stated. "You don't understand, they can do whatever they want. Blackmail, torture, destroy buildings protected by the Laws of Land Warfare, anything. Black are beautiful in their brutality."

"That's disgusting," Asuka stated. "They're state-sponsored terrorists."

"Pretty much," Reinhard agreed. "That's why no one knows about them."

"Is Germany involved in this?" Asuka demanded.

"Why do you think I'm an expert?" Joseph asked. He glanced at the wall, suddenly seeming to be miles away. "You have no idea what its like for a soldier to suddenly be allowed to be a real soldier. If the enemy hides among civilians, use a shoulder launched rocket. If the enemy decides to walk around with guns, but doesn't fire on you, you shoot them. Geneva, the Laws of Land Warfare, none of it matters. They are under no legal or moral limitations. Like you said, they're terrorists."

"You're telling me that all governments have a terrorist cell working for them?" Asuka demanded angrily.

"When you're as big as Germany, the UK, or America you'll always be fighting asymmetrical wars as the bigger group. The best way for the smaller groups to fight those wars is to resort to what could be considered terrorism and the best way to fight terrorism is with terrorists." Asuka leaned back in her seat, trying to understand this view of the world.

"It's hard to come to terms with," Reinhard commented. "You probably thought, or at least hopes, that spying and a few assassinations were worst we do. You didn't want to think that we'd have something like the Black."

"You think Shinji is one of them?" Asuka demanded. "You don't know him at all."

"Neither do you," Reinhard stated. "About three years ago there was a war in Somalia. Like most wars, it started small, the provisional government set up after the Second Impact was overthrown in a bloody coup. Atrocities and genocide reports came in so fast that the UN couldn't censor it. Under its own rules, it had to react. It went to America first, but the Americans were practicing isolationism towards foreign wars. Thus the UN had to appeal to its other members.

"Many famous operators; Black, Cover, and Special can trace their careers to that war. A lot of operators rose to where they are because of it and a lot of operators fell to where they are because of it. Ikari is the first and Walther is the latter."

"Ikari's team worked a lot in the war" Joseph cut in. "Throughout the war his team carried out reconnaissance and precision assassinations. They were sent to observe a small village that was believed to be harboring enemy combatants. Unfortunately, his team was found out. A mortar was dropped on their hide, killing his teammates. During the night Ikari snuck into the town, killing several inhabitants in close quarters combat, reportedly using a knife and a suppressed Colt .45. He stole a radio and called back to his base. He was told to act as he saw fit. He tried to sneak back out, but was caught. He engaged in a firefight that leveled half the town using captured RPG launchers and medium machineguns along with hit and run tactics. Once he was clear he called a UN artillery brigade, several German PzH-2000s, and demolished the entire town. I think the final casualty count was a few thousand dead and almost no wounded. There are reports that he went swept the town for survivors and executed them. Of course there wasn't a whole lot of evidence, what with the lack of witnesses."

"He wouldn't do that," Asuka stated.

"He did," Reinhard replied. "When it came to light that there were women and children in the village, there was a major outcry."

"Nobody wants to believe that women and children are just as capable of shooting at you as men are," Joseph stated quietly. "Never kill women and children, even if they're shooting at you. Everyone knows that women and children aren't a threat."

"Control yourself please," Reinhard stated. Joseph raised his hands in surrender and glared holes in the wall. "There was a war crime trial, but he was found not guilty. He was, after all, only acting as he saw fit. They decided that he had misinterpreted the orders and he was forced to retire. Japan couldn't have a man like that around. . .at least not officially."

"Black are the guys too bad to be accountable for and too good to get rid of," Joseph stated. Reinhard shot a glance at the man, but let his comment slide.

"It was at that time that we believe he was recruited into Japan's Black Operations team. He has the necessary mindset and even a preference for their tactics and operating style." Asuka wanted to argue, but all she could think about was Shinji and the look in his eyes when he had been telling her his story. He must have been thinking about that village, but there was no regret on his face. There was no regret, no pity, and no sorrow. Just a cold dark look; almost saying that he had done it and was not ashamed of it. His words ran through her head. 'I've done things my country isn't proud of, but they had to be done.' He'd done things his country wasn't proud of, not things that he wasn't proud of. It scared her and made her feel sick. How could anyone do what he had done and have no regrets about it? What kind of monster was he?

"We believe that the ISDF recruited him to help in their anti-intelligence sweep of the country," Joseph added. "Not only is he dangerous, he might be your enemy. He could be keeping track of you right now."

"I can't stay there."

"I'll arrange for your transfer back to the embassy," Reinhard replied. "I fully understand. He's out of your league."

"No!" Asuka exclaimed, trying to turn her fear to anger. "This is my city, Gehlen! I just can't stay near him. I don't think I'd be able to sleep."

"Smart girl," Joseph commented. "You'd be smarter going back to the embassy."

"This is my city," Asuka repeated. "I know its people. I know everything there is to know about what happens. You don't have a better qualified person than me!"

"What will you tell him?" Reinhard asked. "You can't raise his suspicion of you. I doubt he would have any trouble taking you down and getting information out of you."

"I'll think of something," Asuka replied. She stared at them. "Just how dangerous is he?"

"Well, Joseph began. "Black, no matter which country they're from, have what I call the small dog syndrome."

"Meaning," Asuka pressed.

"They overcompensate for their numbers with sheer aggression and firepower," Joseph stated. "Let's just say, you never want to set them down in anything save for a one hundred percent target rich environment."

"How dangerous?" Asuka repeated.

"More dangerous than you can imagine," Joseph said simply. "If you carry on long enough, he will catch you. It wouldn't surprise me if he knows exactly who and what you are."

"If he knew, then why hasn't he made a move?" Asuka asked, fearing the answer.

"Probably waiting for you to get a good sized spy ring," Joseph replied. "He'll kill the agents and torture you until he knows everything you know. You will tell him and he will know the truth if he doesn't already."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Long one. Lots of talking and explaining. Had to happen eventually.


	11. Chapter 11: Kimi

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Eleven: Kimi

"How do you want to do this?" Naota scratched the scraggly hairs growing on his chin and looked around the restaurant.

"Divide and conquer," he stated finally. "We'll all take suspects and tail them. A couple of analysts are already working at NERV."

"Sounds good," Shinji stated. He glanced at his watch and then up at the door. "There's our fifth man."

"A foreigner?" Naota asked.

"A German," Shinji replied. One of Naota's eyebrows crept upwards. "He works for us now."

"If you say so."

"You began without me," Manfred commented as he sat down.

"You're late," Shinji replied. "This is Dan and Naota. They're part of the same agency I'm in."

"I'm Manfred Walther," Manfred stated politely, "formerly of the German Foreign Intelligence agency." He shook both the officers' hands. "What did I miss?"

"We're dividing the foreigners and each taking a few," Shinji replied.

"Sounds like fun," Manfred commented. "Any leads on our five-ten, one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty pound Loretta Wulf?"

"Nothing," Shinji replied. "We need to head to NERV. They have a full list of our suspects there."

"One question," Naota began. "The analysts are checking finances. They thought it would be hard until they found that NERV keeps tabs on its employees spending. Why do they have that information?"

"You'll see," Shinji stated.

"When?"

"When we meet the Commander."

"Sounds ominous," Naota commented.

"Just keep your weapon by your side," Shinji replied. "And remember, they cannot legally make you disarm and physical attempts to do so are grounds for lethal force."

(:ii:)

Shinji pushed open the massive doors and looked around the office he had stepped in to. It was still as creepy as ever. "Shinji," the man sitting behind the large desk across the dark room stated.

"Father." Over the years Shinji and his father had reached somewhat of a peaceable arrangement. Shinji hated the man and Gendo Ikari did not care him. They both understood this and could therefore be fairly personable without feeling the need to demonstrate their opinions of one another. "Why have you blocked my analysts?"

"The information they are seeking is illegal for NERV to have," Gendo stated.

"But you have it," Shinji stated. "I know you do and so does most of the ISDF. Give my analysts access."

"I cannot give access to something that doesn't exist." Shinji frowned. The old man was getting at something.

"What do you want?" Gendo was silent for a few minutes.

"I have yet to meet my granddaughter," he commented. Shinji's frown turned into a scowl.

"What do you care about my daughter?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"I do not care," Gendo stated. "I simply wish to meet her."

"I don't want her to meet you. As far as she knows, your dead." Shinji was fighting to keep his nature in check. He wanted to grab the man and introduce him to his favorite knife. Everyone had a threshold. Go beyond it and they would do whatever you wanted. Or they would break. In that case Shinji would install a more helpful leader, he had done it before many times. Either way Shinji got the records he needed.

"Those files don't exist." This situation was beyond Shinji's control and he knew it. Shinji was not happy when he wasn't in control.

"I'll bring her to meet you," he stated. "I will be in the room at all times and if I don't like a single thing, she's gone."

"Very well," Gendo stated. "The files will appear upon her arrival."

"Half now," Shinji stated flatly. Gendo was silent for a moment. "I am bargaining with my daughter. Take the offer or we do this my way."

"Very well," Gendo stated. "The choice of employees will be up to your team."

(:ii:)

Takeo frowned as his direct superior stormed into the waiting room. It was disturbing to see the normally calm or cheerful man so agitated outside of a firefight. "Bad news?"

"Personal news," Shinji replied. "We just received access to half the files. We'll get full access before the end of the week."

"Good," Hirano, one of the analysts, stated.

"Time to hunt some agents," Shinji stated. "Give me a lift back to the apartment and I'll get my bike there."

"No problem sir."

(:ii:)

"Hello?" Asuka nearly jumped out of her skin as his voice rang out in the apartment. She had been jumpy ever since leaving Reinhard's office, imagining Shinji lying in wait for her somewhere. She stepped out of her room and nearly walked into the man she was currently thinking of. She leapt back quickly.

"Sorry!"

"Calm down," Shinji suggested. "You seem a little edgy." Asuka gaped at him. His dress shirt and undershirt were slung over his left shoulder and she could not tear her eyes away from the pale, faded scars that covered his torso.

"Are those from the accident?" she asked quietly.

"Some of them," Shinji stated, pulling on his undershirt. "Sorry. They bother most people, I didn't think anyone was home and I was going to change my clothes."

"Only some of them?" Asuka asked.

"A lot," Shinji allowed. "Quite a few are from corrective surgeries and the rest are just battle scars."

"You had to have surgeries?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "They were the kind my insurance paid for. Mostly they were just replacements."

"What did you have replaced?"

"Artificial hip, knee, and shoulder," Shinji stated. "Metal rods in my thigh, upper arm, and forearm. A couple of screws here and there." Asuka stated at him. "It was a bad accident. The left side of my body was crushed."

"How could you possibly return to active duty after only a year?" she demanded. It just didn't seem human.

"I'm good at managing pain," Shinji stated. "I kept my fitness scores high. Just don't ask how many drugs I was on and still am on."

"I can't believe they let you stay," Asuka stated.

"If you knew how good I was, you'd believe it," Shinji stated. He turned and walked into his room.

"I do know," Asuka whispered. "Hey Shinji?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to be staying in Tokyo-3 longer than I though," Asuka began conversationally. "I figured I'd stoop free loading and get an apartment."

"Any reason you're staying?" Shinji asked, reappearing in a new dark suit with his coat over his arm.

"Well," Asuka began, "my boss insisted that I stay on vacation. I think that bastard just doesn't like me. He sent a bunch of paperwork for me to do and said I should relax here."

"He doesn't like sweet little you?" Shinji asked, looking amused. Asuka scowled at him, her nerves temporarily forgotten.

"You're making fun of me!" Shinji smiled and Asuka's anger was temporarily forgotten. He did have an amazing smile.

"I wasn't joking about the sweet part," he stated, his tone slightly flirtatious. "But sorry anyway."

"You should be!" Her statement lacked much of its normal punch. "It's not my fault everyone finds me abrasive."

"You're just aggressive," Shinji stated. "It's an attractive trait in a woman." Asuka frowned. Was he flirting with her?

"Be careful Shinji, some girls might get the wrong idea if you talk to them like that."

"Maybe the wrong idea is the right idea," Shinji commented, his face friendly but unreadable. He ghosted past her silently, leaving Asuka in stunned silence. Misato had warned her that he might do something like that, but actually having Shinji flirt with her was definitely a strange experience. Was he trying to forge a relationship for information? "You want anything to eat? I'm making myself a sandwich."

(:ii:)

Shinji watched absently as Asuka walked out the door carrying her luggage. What in god's name did she have in all those cases? His phone buzzed and he crammed what was left of his sandwich into his mouth. "Hello?"

"You eating something?" Nagao asked.

"Even I have to eat," Shinji replied, swallowing thickly. "What's up?"

"We got something for you," Nagao stated proudly. "The German finally talked, don't ask how. I don't like your psych scores as is."

"Wasn't planning on it," Shinji stated.

"There's an agent already working in Tokyo-3," Nagao stated. "He should have been contacted by the new officer by now. Head over to his house and get the information. Alright?" Shinji sighed. And he had just eaten too. None the less he pulled out his notepad.

"Address?"

(:ii:)

Jeffrey Rossi growled in annoyance as the person at his front door continued to hammer away. Didn't they know it was his day off? "I'm coming!" Jeffrey jerked the door open and stared at the dark suited man standing outside his apartment. "What do you want?"

"You," the man stated. A fist flew up and connected squarely with Jeffrey's chin, the shock traveling right up his mandible and into his temples. He stumbled back into the apartment and the man followed without another word, pulling a knife from his pocket and flipping the blade open.

(:ii:)

"Hey Shinji!" Shinji turned and smiled at the raven-haired woman running towards him. "Has the train arrived yet?"

"Not yet," Shinji stated as he glanced at the monorail schedule. "Should be arriving in a few minutes."

"Good!" Misato squealed. She glanced at him and frowned.

"What?" Shinji asked.

"You've got something brownish on your shirt there." Shinji touched his collar where Misato had indicated. He felt the crust of dried blood and frowned. "That's blood!"

"I nicked myself shaving," Shinji stated. "You know me, always in a hurry."

"You're a mess." Shinji smirked and the older woman clamped a hand over his mouth. "Don't say it, Ikari. It's too obvious." Shinji chuckled and batted her hand away.

"I need you to watch Kimi tonight," he stated.

"Where are you going?" Misato asked.

"I have to take care of something tonight," Shinji stated. "I wish I could postpone, but I can't."

"Not a problem. There's the train!" The monorail blew into the station with the screech of brakes. Shinji glanced down at his watch. It was only ten minutes late.

"Color me impressed."

"Let me see." Shinji tilted his wrist so Misato could see his watch. "Not bad."

"Yup." The monorail's doors opened and Shinji immediately began scanning the meager crowd that filed out.

"Mister Ikari!" Shinji turned and saw a young woman holding his daughter by the hand.

"Daddy!" Shinji kneeled and scooped the charging eight-year-old into his arms.

"Kimi!" He spun her around, listening to her giggle. He set her down. "Go say hi to Aunt Misato, okay?" She nodded and ran to Misato. Shinji turned back to her babysitter and reached into his pocket.

"Thanks for bringing her all this way."

"It's not a problem," Yumi replied. "Well as much as taking an eight year old on a three hour trip can be not a problem."

"I know." Shinji pressed the wad of bills into her hand. "She should be home next week. When's your train leaving?"

"Tonight," Yumi replied. "I was thinking about going to a concert in town while I wait." Shinji frowned.

"Hirano?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yumi replied. "He's about to break out into the major scene, so I wanted to see him while he was still local."

"I wouldn't go," Shinji stated. "He supposed to be in some trouble with the law and I heard they were planning on moving on him at the concert."

"Oh," Yumi stated flatly. "Bummer." Shinji gave her a few extra bills.

"There's a pretty big department store up that way," Shinji stated.

"Thanks Mister Ikari."

"Not a problem."

(:ii:)

Asuka stared at her predecessor's notes. The man had already set up a pretty big group of agents throughout a lot of Japan. He had spent a lot of time flying from Tokyo-3 to Osaka and to many other cities. She was getting ready to go meet one of his less helpful agents, despite what the agent actually thought.

"Hirano," she read aloud. "This guy is going to be annoying. I just know it."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Big cliff hanger!


	12. Chapter 12: Medic

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Twelve: Medic

Shinji pulled his motorcycle to the curb and stared at the gaudy front of the club. "I'm too old to be around this place."

"Think how I feel." Shinji turned and saw two of his fellow officers sitting at one of the tables in front of the small café behind him. "How do you want to do this?" Naota asked.

"Do you have vests?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah," Dan stated. "But we don't have plates."

"You too?" Shinji asked.

"You don't have plates either?" Naota demanded. "Did you request them?" Shinji nodded. The older man leaned back in his seat. "We might have to inspect the quarter master." Shinji nodded in agreement. "So, what kind of weapons do the German's have?"

"The DA team was armed with MP7s," Shinji stated. "Just vests won't stop 4.6mm armor piercing rounds." Takeo pulled up in the sedan, ignoring the no parking sign and climbed out.

"Am I late?"

"On time," Shinji stated. "We'll try to keep this low key."

"What about the bodyguards?" Dan asked.

"They won't be armed," Shinji replied. "It's illegal for Japanese civilians to carry concealed weapons. Once we're in, split up. Takeo back door and Dan front door. Naota and I'll find the man. Get your radios to forty-two." Shinji dug his radio out of his pocket and unwound the small headset's wire. He tucked the bud into his ear and played with the microphone a little.

"Alright," Naota replied. Shinji stripped off his suit jacket and laid it across his bike. "Move fast and avoid doing the takedown in front of the crowd. Everybody remembers about the blond, right?" They nodded. Shinji glanced around the scene and walked across the street quickly. He ignored the line and headed right for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Shinji stared down at the hand pressed against his chest and then up at the security guard. With a sigh he pulled out his wallet and flipped it open to show his ID.

"Move."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the man demanded, peering at Shinji's ID.

"It means I can shoot you," Shinji stated. "Move."

"I don't think. . ." Whatever the man didn't think was forgotten as Shinji slammed his fist into the man's jaw. The shock traveled strait up his mandible bone and into his temples just like Rossi. He was down before his eyes were even fully closed. The rambunctious crowd outside the door was suddenly silent.

"Split up," Shinji ordered.

(:ii:)

Asuka stared at her reflection and played with her new blond lochs. There was no way she wanted that idiot to recognize her outside of work. Hirano had turned out to be as big an idiot as she had suspected and only marginally more useful than she had hoped.

She put on her best smile and walked out of the bathroom to confront her job once again. "Hey Loretta! Where'd you go?"

"Just had to powder my nose," Asuka replied sweetly.

"Women," Hirano snorted. He turned back to groping some bimbo who had probably gotten back stage by flashing a security guard. "Want to join us?"

"No thanks." Asuka tried to remember why she was putting herself through this. As a relatively famous person, Hirano could influence people much easier than she could. He couldn't get a lot of information himself, but his groupies, maybe even the bimbo, could. Asuka looked around the small room and frowned as she noticed the head security guard making exaggerated movements. "Something wrong?"

"Someone knocked out one of my men," the man stated.

"My adoring fans," Hirano stated smugly. "They love me so much."

"Another guard found him and he's just coming to," the man stated. An excited voice came across the radio speaking far to fast for Asuka to translate. Apparently she wasn't the only one. "Calm down damn it! What's wrong?"

"He said he was a government agent." Asuka stared at the radio. "I tried to stop him Mister Brooks, really! The bastard went from standing there to swinging faster than I could follow."

"Government," Brooks repeated. "Did he show some kind of proof?"

"He had an ID," the man on the other end stated. "I tried to ask him about it, but he caught me by surprise."

"Shit," Brooks stated. "What does he look like?"

"Kind of tall with brown hair and blue eyes in black pants and a white button down shirt," the man stated. Brooks turned to the other guards in the room.

"Find him and bring him here," he ordered. "Something's going down. If he is a government agent than we're going to help him as best we can and get him out before it affects the show."

"No!" Brooks turned and stared at Hirano. Asuka did as well. The man was obviously panicking. 'He got found out,' Asuka decided. 'Why am I not surprised? Best get my ass out of here.'

"Sir! If he works for the government than we need. . ."

"I don't pay you to help the government!" Hirano shrieked. "I pay you to protect me!" Asuka took advantage of the confusion and slipped out the door. No point in risking her ass to save someone less important. She pulled out her phone and flipped it open. She hit the speed dial and raised the device.

"This is Loretta. Can you give me a lift?"

(:ii:)

"Hey man!" Shinji ignored the security guard's cry and threw the man into the wall. Sometimes tact was overrated, mainly when time was of the essence.

"We're going to be in trouble for this," Naota commented as he pushed the doors leading backstage open.

"The government won't pony up on my behalf," Shinji stated as he stepped into the back hallways with the older man in tow. "I'm a war criminal, remember? They'd never higher my type."

"Why do you think I left the army?" Naota asked. Out of sight of the crowd they both drew their weapons and moved forward with them at the ready. "Door."

"Yeah," Shinji agreed, spotting the door with the large gold star on it. "Kind of cliché."

"He's a rock star, they're all cliché," Naota returned. Shinji moved to the far side of the entrance and Naota put his back against the wall on the close side. He pressed the crown of his pistol's suppressor against the lock and looked up. Shinji readied his pistol and nodded. Naota fired twice and gave the door an old fashioned mule kick. It flew open and Shinji sped into the room.

"I'll kill this bit. . ." Shinji fired once while still moving to clear the doorway. The .45-caliber blended metal slug hit the man in the wrist of the arm that he was using to hold a knife to a young woman's throat. The round took his hand clean off. Shinji, satisfied that he wasn't a threat, swept the rest of the right side of the room with Naota taking the left.

"Injury." Shinji turned and saw Naota kneeling over a man's body. He walked over quickly. The man was still alive and pissed.

"Little bitch stabbed me in the back!" he spat. "I sent my guy out to find you and he stabbed me in the back. Ten years GSDF and he got the drop on me. Never thought he'd have the cahones to do it."

"It'll be alright," Naota stated, pulling out a knife and cutting the man's shirt open. "Take care of the little bitch over there." Shinji looked up, only now noticing the high pitched whine filling the room.

"Great." He holstered his pistol and walked over to the rock star. He pulled the man's studded belt off and cinched it tight just above his elbow. No point in trying anything other than a tourniquet when somebody lost an appendage. Suddenly his ear bud crackled.

"Sir! Blond heading for the back door. I'm in pursuit."

"I'm on my way."

(:ii:)

Takeo moved carefully through the access doors and looked around the hallway. He glanced at a sign on the wall. It told him that the back doors were down the left hallway. He hurried to the hallway's opening and saw a blond almost at the door. "Freeze!" The woman spun and then sprinted. "Sir! Blond heading for the back door. I'm in pursuit."

"I'm on my war," Shinji replied. Takeo sprinted after the woman. She managed to make it to the back door and than out into the alleyway beyond, slamming the door shut on the way.

"Shit." Takeo grabbed his Mk. 23 and slowed his pace. He reached the door and considered his options. A, wait for his superior and maybe loose the blond or B, take the chance.

With his decision made he kicked the door open and swung out side, sweeping the right side of the right side of the alley. He spun to clear the left and heard the tiny sighs of a suppressed weapon.

(:ii:)

Shinji sprinted through the halls of the theatre. He spotted an open door and ran towards it. "Takeo?"

"Sir." Shinji stepped outside and nearly tripped over his subordinate.

"Shit!" Shinji kneeled and stared at the man's blood stained shirt. "Hold on Takeo."

"She went that way," Takeo rasped. Shinji heard a car door slam and shot to his feet. He sprinted towards the end of the alley and heard the squeal of tires. He burst out of the alley in time to see a blue SUV peeling away. Shinji raised his Mk. 23 and emptied the magazine into the SUV's rear windshield. The glass held. On auto pilot Shinji dumped the magazine, his hand already pulling out another before the first had hit the ground. He slapped the special magazine into the weapon and thumbed the slide stop. He managed to fire twice more before the SUV turned a corner, the driver unaware of the tiny tracking device now imbedded in his left rear wheel. Shinji holstered his weapon and sprinted back to his partner, thumbing the push to talk button on his radio as he ran. "Medic!"

"What?" Naota demanded.

"Man down!" Shinji snapped as he dropped to his knees next to the wounded man. "Get me a medic now."

"Did you get them?" Takeo whispered. Shinji tore his shirt open and stared at the wounds. They were tiny, but there were at least six, all in his upper torso. There was no way the shooter missed the heart or lungs.

"I got them," Shinji stated as he pulled his folding knife from his pocket and began cutting Takeo's shirt into strips. He waded a few up and put them over the wounds. "Don't worry Takeo. We're all done."

"Good," Takeo replied faintly. "Got the bitch. She took my Mk. 23. Did you find it?"

"Yeah." Takeo nodded. His eyes slid shut.

"Takeo! Wake up!" Takeo's chest stopped rising. "Oh, don't do this."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. There goes one. Some of you probably think this was sudden; well, death for a soldier is sudden.


	13. Chapter 13: Getting Even

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Thirteen: Getting Even

"He's dead, sir." Nagao leaned back in his seat and ran his free hand through his hair. The hand holding his phone to his head was shaking. "It was DOA. His heart and lungs were riddled with .22 slugs. When Ikari found him he was barely coherent. We also discovered that his Mk. 23 was missing."

"Why wasn't anyone wearing vests?" he asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

"We don't have plates, sir," Naota stated. "At the time, all we knew of the weaponry was what the direct action team used. Just the vests wouldn't have stopped 4.6mm armor piercers."

"What happened to your plates?" Nagao demanded.

"Never issued," Naota explained. "Both Ikari and I requested them, but we never got them."

"I see," Nagao replied.

"I thought only you had the authority to deny officers equipment," Naota stated.

"So did I," Nagao commented. "Where's Ikari right now?"

"He's at the hospital," Naota explained. "The rock star is in jail awaiting interrogation and that agent you sent Ikari after still needs to be cleaned up."

"I'll take care of it," Nagao stated. He hung up the phone. "Nanasawa!" Nagao's door opened and the dark-haired man glanced in.

"Sir?"

"Get on the line with all of our officers and find out about their equipment," Nagao ordered. He glanced around. "Keep it quiet."

"You think something funny is happening on the inside?" Nanasawa asked.

"I don't know," Nagao admitted. "Just, keep the investigation to yourself."

"Not a problem sir," Nanasawa replied. "Oh, and the new AD wants to meet with you." Nagao scowled. He really didn't want to meet with his new assistant. The man was too much of a bureaucrat. His type got Nagao's type killed.

"Tell him something."

"Yes sir."

(:ii:)

Misato looked around the hospital waiting room and sighed in relief as she spotted the man she was looking for. "Shinji!" The young girl in her arms stirred slightly. She walked towards the seated man as quickly as she could without further jostling Kimi. She hesitated for only a moment when she saw the blood on his shirt. "Shinji?" The man was staring blankly at the far wall. "Where's Takeo?"

"He's dead," Shinji stated flatly. "I tried everything I could, but it didn't matter." Misato sat down quickly before her legs could give out.

"How?"

"He was shot," Shinji replied. "He was shot and killed with a fucking twenty-two. I gave the orders to go in without vests. If he had been wearing a vest he'd still be alive."

"It's not your fault," Misato began. Shinji's head whipped around and Misato shivered when his eyes met hers.

"I was in charge of this mission," Shinji stated. He leaned back in his seat and put his hands over his eyes. "There wasn't any proof. They had used MP7s before. A vest wouldn't have mattered, but he was shot with a God damned twenty-two." Misato wrapped an arm around him gently, frowning as he jerked at the light touch.

"Shinji," she began soothingly. "You're in shock."

"I got him killed," Shinji whispered. He wrapped his arms around his head and rocked forwards till his forehead rested on his knees.

"There you are." Misato looked up and stared at the dark-haired man. "Where's the kid?"

"He's dead," Shinji stated. The man's face fell.

"Shit." He sat down across from them and stared at the ceiling for a minute. "What about Naota and Dan?"

"They're making an after action report to Kita," Shinji stated.

"Who are you?" Misato asked. The man turned to her, apparently noticing her for the first time.

"Manfred Walther," he replied. "May I enquire as to who you are?"

"I'm Misato Katsuragi," Misato stated. Manfred's face registered recognition.

"Then that must be Kimi," he stated, a small smile sliding across his weather face. "She's as pretty as Shinji said she was." Shinji rose to his feet and looked around. His face was much more focused, almost like he had woken up.

"Let's go," he stated.

"Where to."

"To get even," Shinji stated. He started forward and froze as his eyes fell on Misato. "Misato?"

"Morning," she returned.

"How long have you been there?" he asked.

"Long enough," Misato stated. "Don't worry, I can keep a secret." Shinji stared at her for a moment more.

"I'll explain everything later," he stated. "I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

(:ii:)

"Woo." Joseph stared at the black SUV and tried to hide how impressed he was. "How man shots did he fire?"

"I don't know," the driver replied. "At least ten." Joseph whistled and put his hand on the rear windshield. The palm of his hand completely covered the main impact point. Ten rounds on a moving target hitting within millimeters. "This guy's a freak."

"Yeah," Joseph replied. "Shinji Ikari. Scary."

"You IDed him?" the driver asked. "How? After Sohryu jumped in and I took off all I saw was a shadow come out of the alleyway and open fire."

"We didn't need to ID him," Joseph stated. "We IDed the man Sohryu shot. It was Ikari's partner."

"No wonder he was pissed," the driver commented.

"What about the weapon you recovered?" Joseph asked. The driver leaned into the SUV and produced a massive black pistol. Joseph took it and looked it over. It looked like a standard Mk. 23 with all the edges rounded out and translucent grip plates showing the brass cases of the .45-caliber rounds inside. "Impressive."

"Yeah," the driver agreed. "Interesting how they managed to make such a big weapon so concealable."

"It's a good trick," Joseph allowed as he inspected the weapon even closer.

"Where did Sohryu go?"

"Gehlen took her back to his office for debriefing," Joseph stated as he set the pistol aside and picked up the power sprayed by his feet.

"What about that guy from the ISDF?"

"He'll be here in a few minutes," Joseph replied. "Better get to work." A quick pass over the SUV's exterior with the sprayer and the black top coat peeled back to reveal the white underneath.

(:ii:)

Shinji stalked towards the sedan and reached into his pocket for the keys. "You're driving."

"Still haven't gotten over that, eh?" Manfred asked.

"No." Shinji opened the trunk and pulled off his bloodied white shirt to reveal a simple black T-shirt. He grabbed a vest and pulled it on, checking the pockets and finding them all loaded. "Here." He thrust Takeo's vest into Manfred's arms and pulled out the entry gun, a sawed off black shotgun with a pistol grip and a toothed muzzle brake.

"We're calling Dan and Naota, right?" Manfred asked.

"Sure," Shinji replied as he slipped the entry gun's one point sling over his right arm and head. "Whether they get there in time is something else altogether." He pulled out the short-barreled, German-made M16 rifle and pushed a heavy dual drum magazine into it. He pulled the charging handle back and let it slam forward. "Here."

"H&K 416?" Manfred asked. Shinji just nodded and pulled out a second, identical weapon. He loaded it and walked around to the passenger side of the car.

"Let's go."

"How are we going to find them?" Manfred asked as he climbed in.

"Homing device bullet," Shinji stated. "Now drive. We need to get there before they notice the signal."

"Good to go, Mister Bond." Shinji dug his cell phone out as the sedan backed out of the parking space. He punched in the number and waited.

"Fujita," Naota greeted.

"It's Shinji," Shinji stated. "We're moving on the Germans." He pulled the GPS out of the glove compartment and consulted it. "They're in a warehouse on the docks."

"We're right by there," Naota replied. "We'll meet you at the front gate to the industrial park."

"Right," Shinji replied. He flipped his phone shut and threw it into the glove compartment. He leaned back in his seat and stared out the window. Good soldiers weren't supposed to take anything personally. If a partner was killed, well, that was part of war. Shinji had never been a good soldier in that respect.

(:ii:)

"Turn here." Shinji stared at the industrial park through the windshield and frowned. He hated fighting in urban terrain. There were just too many angles to cover.

"We're being followed," Manfred commented. Shinji glanced back and saw a familiar black car.

"It's Naota," he stated. "Pull over." The sedan pulled into a deserted parking lot outside one of the warehouses and Shinji climbed out. Naota's coup pulled up as well.

"I don't like this," the older man stated. "There are way too many places of hide. They've probably got snipers everywhere."

"Yeah," Shinji agreed. "We're a good way away from the right warehouse. I'm hoping they don't have sentries out this far. Pop the trunk." Manfred opened the trunk and Shinji pulled yet another weapon from inside.

"What on Earth?" Naota began.

"Suppressed KAC SR-25," Shinji stated as he checked his sniper rifle. "I carry it just in case."

"We should look into getting that issued as a standard piece of kit," Naota commented. Shinji picked up a pair of magazines he had clamped together earlier and pushed one of them into the weapon's receiver.

"It does come in handy in situations like this," he allowed. He popped the cap on his scope and pulled out an old AN/PVS-22 night vision optic. He attached it to the rail ahead of his scope and set the weapon down. He unslung the entry gun and gave it to Manfred. "I wish we had satellite surveillance right now."

"We have a sniper," Manfred replied. "Next best thing." Shinji nodded and looked around. He spotted a water tower and picked up his rifle.

"I'll be right back."

(:ii:)

Reinhard stared at the report on his computer. "That's everything?"

"Yes," Asuka replied. Reinhard took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. then he promptly ripped the report up. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Japan and Germany have come to an agreement," Reinhard stated. "We're no longer informal enemies. We're pulling out of the city now." Asuka stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"But. . ."

"It's final Sohryu."

"Just like that?" Asuka asked.

"Just like that," Reinhard stated.

(:ii:)

Shinji examined the warehouse carefully. There were four men sitting on top of the building trying to look casual, they were even smoking. Shinji scanned the other rooftops, but found nothing. In the short time he had been watching, two vans had left the building.

Something was happening. Shinji sighted in one of the men and fired. Three more shots and it was done. He stood and slung his rifle over his shoulder. "Good shooting," Manfred commented as he lowered his binoculars.

"Picked it up from my friends," Shinji stated. "Something's happening."

"Yeah," Manfred agreed. "What do you think?"

"I don't know," Shinji stated. "We should hurry."

(:ii:)

"Hello?" Joseph frowned and set the radio down. "The roof isn't responding."

"You know those jackasses," one of the officers commented as she packed up all the computers. "They're probably playing cards."

"Yeah," Joseph agreed. He glanced at the tall Asian man standing by his side. "Something's up."

"Ikari," the Japanese officer stated. Joseph nodded. "Of all the times to attack, why now?"

"You should get out of here. With the evacuation, I don't have enough people to hold them off."

"I'll stay," the Japanese officer replied. "We're allies now, aren't we? To bad this didn't happen tomorrow. By then Ikari would have gotten the memo. I don't suppose I'd be able to talk some sense into him?"

"Don't waste your breath," Joseph replied. "His partner was killed. It doesn't matter if you were the one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

"Agreed," the man replied. Joseph picked up his radio.

"Attention all personnel, we're now on level one lock down. I repeat, we're now on level one lock down."

(:ii:)

Shinji tried the door knob and it turned easily in his hand. He nodded to Manfred and pushed the door open. The German moved into the stairwell beyond with Naota and Dan behind him. Shinji moved in behind them with his rifle pointing back the way they had come.

Clearing buildings was always a ridiculously risky option. For a building the size of the warehouse, at least a company-size element should have been used. They had four people.

The stack stopped at a T-shaped intersection. Naota and Dan went left and Shinji and Manfred went right. Shinji took the lead with Manfred behind. They came out onto a long terrace that went along the inside perimeter of the warehouse.

"Pretty sparse," Manfred noted in a dry hiss. Shinji nodded. He looked around, taking in the bags and boxes scattered around.

"They're taking off," he returned. They came to a ladder leading down into the maze of boxes below. He un-slung his SR-25 and handed it to Manfred. The German took the weapon and rested it against the catwalk's handrail.

Shinji climbed down the ladder and ended up in a shadowed corner of the warehouse. "I've got a view on five people," Manfred whispered. "You want that I should make them dead?"

"Do it." A rapid fire string of pneumatic-sounding pops rang out overhead. Shinji made his way silently among the crates with his 416 at the ready. He heard his first target before he saw him. It was a young woman taking cover behind a crate. Shinji slung his rifle and knifed the kid before she knew what was happening.

"Topside all clear," Naota whispered in his ear. "Since someone decided to jump the gun and assault down below, we'll stay up here so we don't have any friendly fire accidents." Shinji frowned as he realized his error. He had been operating in small groups, and often by himself, for far too long.

"Five down," Manfred reported. There was another pop. "Six."

"Plus one," Shinji hissed. He sheathed his knife and shouldered his rifle. He never even saw the attack coming.

(:ii:)

'How many are there?" Joseph wondered as he crouched, sheltered between two crates. He had heard six gunshots. That meant, best case scenario, there was only him and one other. Then he saw his target, a man in full tactical gear, his face obscured by a pair of clear goggles. He held a knife dripping with blood and Joseph knew he was alone.

The soldier sheathed his blade and reached around to mount his rifle. Joseph grabbed the knife mounted horizontally on his vest's front. This would have to be quiet, or he would incur the wrath of the sniper above. He struck as the man was still shuffling his rifle into position.

(:ii:)

The attacker was so close that Shinji could feel the breeze as the man pivoted out of cover. He knocked aside the rifle's muzzle and brought his knife down in an ice pick grip. Shinji threw his right arm up and bit his tongue to keep from screaming as the blade entered his flesh and skittered off his arm bone. With his left hand he shoved the man away and grabbed for the knife hanging inverted from his left shoulder. His attacker studied him carefully.

"Sie sind Shinji Ikari," he stated. Shinji stared at the man. The man grinned. "Sie sind Schwarz, night wahr?"

"That's right," Shinji hissed, gritting his teeth as the pain still shooting up his right arm. The man's grin widened and them he struck again, his left hand flying out to try to draw Shinji's attention while his right hand brought the knife up, aiming for his stomach.

Shinji crossed his left arm in front of his body, deflecting the punch, and grabbed for the blade with his right hand. The man tried to pull his appendages back to defend himself, but it was too late. Shinji slashed as hand and as fast as he could. He felt his blade catch slightly on the man's spinal cord as it passed through his throat, but Shinji's momentum and tight grip allowed the knife to continued on its way.

The man stumbled back, grasping the gaping wound across his throat even as blood spilled down his front. "Sie sind ebenso gut as lich habe gedacht," he managed weakly. He stumbled and fell back against the boxes. "Kind shande darin," he added. His next words were so soft Shinji could barely hear them. "Erbärmlich. . ." he trailed off and his body went slack.

"Ikari!" Shinji snapped out of his daze and pressed the push to talk button of his vest.

"I'm here."

"What the hell was that?" Manfred demanded.

"Another soldier," Shinji stated. "Don't worry, he's dead."

"You okay?"

"He clipped me." Shinji inspected his wound. It ran almost from wrist to elbow and was oozing blood slowly. Not good. He checked his right hand. The blade had slashed clean through his glove to reveal the slash-resistant lining. It hadn't penetrated that at all.

"Hang tight. Naota and Dan are on there way."

(:ii:)

Naota looked around the warehouse and frowned. "They were definitely on their way out." He picked up a large black pistol from the table. "I've got Takeo's pistol here."

"Yeah," Dan agreed. "Female. Loretta Wolf?" Manfred stared at the woman.

"Body structures about right, breasts looked larger before."

"Well she was wearing a wig," Shinji commented, "why not a pushup braw?"

"Good point," Manfred replied.

"Look at this, sir." Naota turned and saw his partner kneeling over one of the bodies.

"What is it?"

"He's on the headquarters staff," Dan stated. "I've seen him there sir."

"Another traitor?" Naota wondered.

"Maybe." Naota saw a black briefcase by the body and picked it up. He opened it and stared at the hundreds of Euro banknotes neatly placed inside.

"Maybe this is a bribe," he commented. He kneeled and inspected the body of the man. He came up with a second Mk. 23. "I thought you said this guy was staff."

"He is," Dan replied.

"They don't give these to staff," Naota stated, holding up the Mk. 23.

"Maybe this is something else," Shinji stated. Naota glanced back and saw that Manfred has finished wrapping up Shinji's arm. The man walked over and closed the briefcase. "We never found this."

"Come again?" Dan asked.

"We never found this," Shinji stated. "I have a bad feeling. Something big is going down and I don't think it was just bribing some officer from headquarters." He glanced at his watch. "Let's clear out. It's almost dawn."

"What about a debriefing?" Naota asked.

"Only to Kita and on a secure line," Shinji stated. "Absolutely no one else."

"Have you been skipping out on your antipsychotics?" Naota asked. "You're sounding positively paranoid, my old friend."

"Notice how I'm still breathing?" Shinji pointed out. "Just because you've been diagnosed as clinically paranoid doesn't mean everyone isn't out to get you."

"Point taken."

"Now if you'll excuse me," Shinji added, "I have to go see a doctor about getting my arm sewed back together."

"Make sure they use that good, heavy black wire," Naota commented. "Don't let them get anywhere near you with that stuff that dissolves or that liquid skin shit."

"Right."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. This is the first chapter I've done fore this in a while. I kind of floundered around with ideas that I knew I wanted to use, but no idea how to use them. Now I'm good to go again. So standby, this ones gonna be epic. I hope.


	14. Chapter 14: Promise

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Fourteen: Promise

"Hey Princess." Misato smiled as her former charge swept his daughter up into his arms and swung her around before setting her back on the ground. "Thanks for bringing her, Misato."

"No problem," Misato replied. She fell into step beside Shinji as he led the way towards the Commander's office. "You didn't come home at all last night, Shinji."

"Yeah," Shinji replied quietly.

"Are you okay?" Misato pressed. "Tell me the truth."

"No," Shinji replied. He smiled down at Kimi. "Were you good for Aunt Misato?"

"Yeah," Kimi replied. "She said if I wasn't good she'd cook breakfast." Shinji laughed. To Misato it sounded painfully forced, but Kimi didn't seem to know the difference.

"So, where'd you go?" Shinji asked.

"A little diner up the street," Misato replied.

"I got pancakes and she let me put powdered sugar and butter and syrup on them!" Kimi exclaimed. Shinji shot Misato a look out of the corner of his eye and she just smiled sweetly.

"That's disgusting."

"It's actually pretty good," Misato countered.

"You wouldn't know steak from hamburger," Shinji pointed out cheerfully. "Here we are." Misato looked up at the Commander's ominous door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Misato asked.

"Nope," Shinji replied. "But I have a backup plan."

"And that is?" Misato asked, wondering if she really wanted to know.

"You distract Kimi and I cut his throat," Shinji stated. Misato stared at him, trying to see if he was joking. It was no use of course, he could be the hardest person in the world to read if he wanted to be. Shinji pushed the doors open and led them into the Commander's office. Much to Misato's surprise, the old man was standing in front of his desk leaning back on it instead of sulking behind it. His glasses were sitting beside him.

"Hello Shinji."

"Morning," Shinji returned, careful not to use his father's title.

"Hello Kimi."

"Hi," Kimi replied cheerfully. "You're Mister Gendo?"

"I am," Gendo replied, his face and tone never changing. "What has your father told you about me?"

"He said that he used to work for you," Kimi replied. "He said it was a long time ago, is that true?"

"It is," Gendo replied calmly. "That was many years ago."

"Back when he used to live with Aunt Misato, right?" Kimi pushed.

"Correct." For a moment no one spoke. "I'd like to speak with you in private, Shinji." Shinji nodded.

"Take Kimi outside, okay?"

"Sure," Misato replied. "Let's go Kimi."

(:ii:)

Shinji watched as his friend and his daughter walked out and closed the door behind them. "She looks a lot like her grandmother," Gendo stated.

"I noticed the similarities between her and Rei," Shinji replied. "That's really the only basis I have to go on." Gendo was silent for a moment.

"Does she have her mother's eyes?" he asked. "No one in my family or Yui's had green eyes."

"They're her mothers," Shinji answered. "Is that all you wanted?"

"It may not seem like much," Gendo began, "but all I hoped for was a happy young girl to carry on the Ikari name. She's not like either of us, that's what I truly hoped she'd be like."

"Well some of us can carry on with raising a child after their wife dies," Shinji stated. Gendo stared at Shinji calmly.

"Some of us just choose different pursuits to loose ourselves in," he countered smoothly. "You view me as a monster for my actions, but how many men have you killed, Shinji?"

"A whole lot," Shinji answered flatly. Gendo nodded and walked around his desk. He opened one of the drawers and took something out.

"Take this." Shinji stared at the piece of paper he was being offered. It was a happy family picture of a man, a woman, and a little boy.

"I thought you burned everything." Shinji was proud of how he kept the lump in his throat from affecting his speech.

"I lied," Gendo stated. "Don't tell me you're surprised."

"Of course not," Shinji stated. He took the picture and stared at it.

"All the files are yours now," Gendo added. Shinji nodded and slipped the picture into one of the inside pockets in his suit. He nodded to the older man and calmly strode out of the room.

"Is everything done?" Misato asked.

"It is," Shinji replied. "Could you take Kimi down to see Rei? I need some time to think."

"Sure," Misato replied. "Maybe you should spend some time with her though."

"I don't want her to see me like this," Shinji replied. Misato stared at him.

"I wonder if another man might have used that excuse." She turned and led Kimi away. Shinji stared at her until she was out of sight. That was cold.

"Sir?" Shinji turned and saw one of the analysts.

"The files are open now."

"It doesn't matter," the analyst stated. "We've been ordered back to Tokyo-2." Shinji felt his mouth go dry.

"Why?"

"All the counter-German operations are done with," the analyst stated. "Haven't you gotten a call yet?"

"No, but I'm about to make one."

(:ii:)

Nagao nearly leapt out of his seat as his phone began to ring. He was far too edgy after spending the entire night making phone calls. He picked it up and flipped it open, not even thinking to check the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Explain now." There was only one man who could make something almost like fear go down Nagao's spine.

"Ikari?"

"Why the fuck are my analysts heading for home?" Nagao sighed and leaned back in his seat.

"The ISDF has struck a deal with the German embassy," he stated tiredly.

"I thought only the Counter Intel department knew what was going on," Shinji stated. "This department was made to be free from the bureaucracy. Why did we just get fucked by it?"

"My department was supposed to be the only one," Nagao stated. "It is my belief that the Chief of the ISDF has her own man in this department. She saw the German situation as something that could be ended by paying them off."

"We bribed the Germans?" Shinji demanded. "What the fuck, sir?"

"I've been keeping some thing from my officers," Nagao stated. "For months now I've been getting official warnings from that bitch. I thought she was just trying to cover her own ass, but apparently she thinks that we can keep this country safe without getting our hands dirty."

"What's going to happen to the department?" Shinji asked.

"I think I'm about to get kicked out of office," Nagao stated. "My AD, Assistant Director Yui, will take my position. He's a conniving little dick, a politician through and through. I'll bet my life that he's the Chief's man."

"Where does that leave us, sir?" Shinji asked.

"If the Chief thinks she can resolve everything without violence, than I don't think she's going to keep a bunch of violent, boarder-line psychotics around."

"That's fine for me," Shinji replied, "I'm on loan to the department, but what about the others?"

"They'll be fired," Nagao replied. "Now listen to me. Don't come back here right away. Spend a day or two in Tokyo-3. As a matter of fact, take the week off."

"Why?" Shinji asked.

"Because there you're heavily armed and you know the terrain," Nagao replied. "I wouldn't trust anyone who isn't like you, do you understand?"

"I do," Shinji replied. "I'll pass the word on to Naota and Dan."

"See that you do," Nagao replied. "You know what a code twelve is, don't you?"

"You think it's going to come to that?" Shinji asked.

"We were never liked from the beginning," Nagao stated. "This department is just like the Black in that aspect. We're the snarling, barely-trained attack dog that would bite the hand that feeds it while killing the burglar. They don't want us. I doubt the Chief would attack us directly, she prefers subterfuge, trying to get you killed by making sure you didn't have the right gear."

"The SAPI plates?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah," Nagao replied. "I created the code twelve for a reason. Keep your guard up and take care of yourself." Nagao flipped his phone shut.

"Sir?" He glanced up and saw Nanasawa standing in the doorway.

"I think things are going to get ugly," Nagao stated. "You're HQ personnel, not a field officer. How far are you willing to go?"

"I'm a patriot," Nanasawa stated. "I know what's good for this country. I'll fight by your side until the end." Nagao nodded. How could anyone consider getting rid of men like that?

(:ii:)

Asuka froze and stared at the man sitting in one of the benches overlooking the Geo-Front from Central Dogma's pyramid. He knew she was there so there was no point in running. "Hello Shinji."

"Why are you still in this city?" Shinji asked. Asuka decided that being behind him was extremely dangerous to her health. She walked around the bench slowly and sat on the opposite side. "Your job here is done, isn't it?"

"You knew all along," Asuka stated.

"Don't feel bad," Shinji replied hollowly. "I'm too good. You never had a chance."

"Why didn't you try to apprehend me?" Asuka asked.

"I was giving you time to set up a ring," Shinji stated. "How far did you get?"

"Twenty people," Asuka replied truthfully. "Not bad for a week's work."

"It certainly isn't," Shinji replied. "Actually, that's astounding. You're way above average. If I'd suspected how good you were, I'd have brought you in days ago." Asuka examined him carefully out of the corner of her eye. He seemed tired, no, defeated fit him better. His jacket was thrown over the back of the bench and his sleeves were rolled up. She stared at the bandages on his right arm. She had heard about what happened to Joseph. Somehow, she thought that was how he would have wanted to go.

"I'm sorry about Takeo."

"I took care of it," Shinji replied. "Little German girl, matched a friend's description well enough. Put a knife it her." Asuka almost felt relief. He didn't know what she had done. Than her thoughts turned to Agatha, the secretary who had been packing her equipment up last night at the warehouse. She was supposed to have left early, but had demanded to make sure her equipment was put away right.

"You look like shit," Asuka stated. Shinji laughed humorlessly. His stomach growled and Asuka reached into her purse without thinking. She found the energy bar she had been saving for lunch and pulled it out. "Here." Shinji looked up and stared at her. "When was the last time you ate?"

"What do you care?" Shinji asked, not angry just curious.

"We were kind of friends once, almost," Asuka stated. She opened the bar and took a big bite. "It's not poisoned." Shinji took the bar and ate it quickly.

"How can you go from being my enemy to being so apathetic?"

"I'm a professional soldier, at least I try," Shinji stated. "I keep things from being personal. I never had a problem with you until I was ordered to. Now I've been ordered to stop, why would I keep going?"

"Don't tell me Somalia wasn't personal," Asuka stated.

"I said I try to be a professional soldier," Shinji stated. "Sometimes I don't try very hard and sometimes I don't try at all."

"You don't approve of what happened, do you?" Asuka asked.

"It's not my place to say," Shinji stated.

"What are you going to do now?" Asuka asked.

"I still have two years left working for the ISDF," Shinji stated. "They'll find someone else to send me after."

"What about your partner?" Asuka asked.

"Its not the first time I've lost a partner," Shinji replied. "I'll get a new one." Asuka stared at him in open disgust.

"You aren't human."

"Not when I'm working," Shinji admitted. "Now, why are you still here?"

"I'm just meeting some of my old friends," Asuka stated. She saw Shinji glance at her out of the corner of his eye. "Socially, not for work." She paused for a minute. "I don't have a lot of friends back at the embassy. I work too much to have a healthy social life. I'm just enjoying some contact with people; well, contact that doesn't involve me asking them to get me information. I;m sorry."

"What for?"

"I was planning something really bad for you," Asuka stated. The corner's of Shinji's lips twitched.

"Don't worry. Its nothing compared to what I was planning on doing to you."

"But. . ."

"Nothing you could possibly have planned could be nearly as bad as what I was planning."

"There you are!" Asuka turned and saw Misato and Rei walking onto the observation deck with a little girl between them, holding their hands. "Oh, hi Asuka."

"Hello," Asuka returned.

"We're heading down to the cafeteria," Misato stated. "Do you two want to come?"

"Alright," Shinji replied as he stood. "You coming, Asuka?" Asuka stared at the man for a moment.

"You have really pretty hair." Asuka turned and looked down at the dark haired girl.

"Thank you." Kimi smiled up at her and then turned to her father.

"Come on! I'm hungry."

"Didn't you have breakfast a few hours ago?" Shinji asked.

"Well, I'm hungry again!" Kimi argued.

"One day your metabolism will slow down and you'll swell like a balloon," Shinji stated seriously. He turned to Asuka. "You want to come?" Asuka stared at him for a moment. How could someone be so completely different from themselves?

"Sure."

(:ii:)

Shinji had to smile as he watched Kimi and Asuka talk enthusiastically about hair care. "Hey Dad, can I dye my. . ."

"No," Shinji replied. "And hay is for horses, Kimi." Kimi pouted.

"Aunt Misato dyes her hair." Shinji glanced up and saw Misato tense up.

"That's for a different reason, Kimi." Misato glanced up and Shinji grinned at her.

"Mention that ever again and you're a dead man, Ikari," Misato hissed. Shinji held up his hands peaceably. His phone vibrated and he pulled it out of his pocket. The little screen showed Naota's number.

"Excuse me." He stood and flipped the phone open. "Have you heard the news?"

"Yeah," Naota replied. "This is bullshit."

"It gets better," Shinji replied. "We're all heading for job termination."

"Shit," Naota growled. "I'm too old to get back with the Black. Now where am I going to get money?"

"Have you heard of the Far East Asia PMC?" Shinji asked. "They'd probably love you for an instructor. It's where I'm heading once I get too old for the field."

"If you live that long," Naota commented. "Dan and I are heading back for Tokyo-2 this afternoon. Will we see you there?"

"How about you cancel that and hang around here?" Shinji asked.

"What for?" Naota asked. Shinji frowned. His cell phone signal was currently traveling through an advanced system of receivers in the Geo-Front. It'd be easy to tap it. Nagao had taken a big risk to warn him.

"I'll tell you later," Shinji replied. "How about we meet tonight?"

"We just turned in the heavy toys to some HQ prick," Naota stated.

"Get them back."

"Dan, catch that dickhead and get my guns back. I don't care if you have to cut his head off!" Shinji heard Dan agree. "Something big is going down, right?"

"Could be," Shinji replied. "I'm going to call Manfred and tell him to meet us too. Remember where we first met?"

"Yeah."

"Be there at twenty-one hundred."

"Got it." Shinji flipped his phone shut and walked back to the table.

"Miss Sohryu said that she could dye my hair for me," Kimi stated. Shinji stared at her and then at Asuka. He sighed.

"Fine. Asuka, you'll have to come to Misato's, alright?" Just because he wasn't her enemy didn't mean that he trusted her. He did, however trust Misato. She was smart and a surprisingly good marksman for a field grade officer. "I'm going out tonight to meet some friends anyway." He glanced at his watch. "You're on your lunch break now?"

"Yeah," Misato answered. Shinji took a deep breath. He didn't want to involve Misato in anything, but he didn't have a choice now.

"You mind watching Kimi, Rei?"

"Not at all," Rei replied. "I have a Wii Three in my office." Shinji paused as he thought of Rei playing video games. A lot had changed since he was an Eva pilot.

"Alright. We should be back soon."

(:ii:)

Misato watched as her friend opened the door to the apartment and walked in. "What's this about, Shinji?" Shinji disappeared into his room for a moment. "Shinji?"

"One second." He reappeared with a large black duffel bag. He sat down on the couch and gestured for her to join him. "You know I don't investigate fraud."

"Yes," Misato confirmed.

"Right now I'm on loan to the ISDF from an unnamed group," Shinji stated. "My job is to hunt down and kill people from other countries that are trying to get information. A lot of times I kill the informants too." Misato nodded slowly. For all her pretense, she had known it would be something like this. It still didn't make her happy.

"What are you going to do when Kimi asks what you do for a living?" she asked.

"I'm going to lie, just like I've been doing," Shinji stated. Misato nodded, accepting his answer. How could he explain to his daughter that he was a killer? "By staying here I might have put you in danger."

"I'm fine with that," Misato stated. "You're a dear friend, Shinji."

"You don't know how much that actually means to me," Shinji replied. He unzipped the duffel bag and pulled out a briefcase. "If anything happens to me or you, anything at all, don't try to find out if I'm okay. Just take Kimi and this and go to Okinawa. There's a slip of paper in an inside pocket with a name and an address. Find that man and explain everything to him."

"I understand," Misato stated as she took the case. "Just what might happen to you?"

"Things are looking kind of shady at my job," Shinji stated. "I don't think they would go after Kimi, but I don't want to take the chance." He reached into the bag again and pulled out a small black pistol with clear side panels. "This is an H&K USP Tactical Compact. It holds eight rounds and is double action. It kicks hard, so get a good grip. It's loaded with .45-caliber +P blended metal slugs. If you hit a man in the torso, he will die. If you hit him in an appendage, he's out of the fight. How do you carry it?"

"Hammer down and chamber empty," Misato stated.

"You train like that?" Shinji asked.

"I haven't trained in a while," Misato admitted. Shinji raised the pistol and tugged the slide back.

"Round in chamber hammer down," he stated as he lowered the hammer with his thumb and dug in the duffel for a smaller bag. "Ten clips." He held out the bag and the pistol.

"Alright," Misato replied as she took the diminutive pistol. The next thing Shinji pulled out nearly gave her a heart attack.

"You know how to use one of these?" Shinji asked as he hefted the wicked looking carbine.

"Yes," Misato answered. Shinji nodded. He ejected the rifle's dual drum magazine, pulled the charging handle back, and locked it open to show that it was empty. He pushed the magazine back in and let the bolt snap forward. "Condition one weapon, Misato: magazine inserted, round in chamber, bolt forward, safety on, ejection port cover closed. You set it to kill and pull the trigger. Keep it hidden in your bedroom."

"Do you really think I'm going to need something like this?" Misato asked.

"If anyone comes to take Kimi, you'll be happy this is here." Misato took the heavy weapon and set it aside.

"Listen to me, Shinji." The younger man stared at her calmly. "I love you, more than anyone else. Don't get yourself killed." Shinji smiled and hugged her.

"Don't worry." Misato buried her face in his chest.

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"You know," Misato replied. She felt as much as heard Shinji chuckle.

"I love you too, Misato." He took her shoulders and held her out at arm length.

"I'm serious, if anything happens to me or to you, take the case and go to Okinawa. Everything you'll need is in it. If something happens to me, don't try to find out if I'm alive, just go. Understand?"

"You'd better not get hurt," Misato stated as she snuggled up to his chest again.

"Oh, I'll get hurt," Shinji stated as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "But I'll heal. Keep an eye on Asuka tonight."

"Why?"

"She's about as much an innocent as I am a government accountant."

"Is everybody here except me a secret agent?"

"I'm pretty sure Pen Pen wasn't," Shinji replied. "Although, I can't say that with complete certainty."

"Come home to me."

"Alright."

"Promise?"

"Yeah."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"I won't do that ever again."

"Liar."

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Wow, this chapter came out so quick I'm worried it'll seem rushed. Right now I'm sitting on my rack, sipping Jack neat, and also working on an end of the semester paper. I'm going to have to reread the paper tomorrow. My drunk side likes to sneak up on my and do weird things.


	15. Chapter 15: When it all goes wrong

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Fifteen: When it all goes wrong

Shinji stared down at the sub-machinegun in his hand. He had never used an MP7 before, but he had seen them in action often enough to be impressed. "Not bad."

"Germany is one of the leading producers of military and civilian weapons," Manfred replied. "How did you get these?"

"A German direct action team," Shinji explained. "We were supposed to turn in everything we took, but I didn't."

"Well, aren't you the perfect subordinate?" Manfred commented. Shinji closed the trunk of his car and tucked the MP7 into its holster under his jacket. The Mk. 23 was riding in the small of his back this time. "So, what is this code twelve?"

"Emergency measures," Shinji stated as he climbed into the car. Manfred climbed into the driver seat and started the sedan's V6. "Nobody in the ISDF likes us, so we've kind of been expecting an attack."

"An attack from your own people?" Manfred asked.

"You Europeans are a bad influence," Shinji stated. "We know that we'd make perfect scapegoats, only, most of us have already been fucked over. We know how things work, so the ISDF isn't going to catch us by surprise."

"Can you fight them?" Manfred asked.

"Sure."

"Can you win?"

"Define win."

"Beat them and live," Manfred stated.

"No chance, but we can certainly kill a lot of them."

"You're Black, aren't you?" Shinji glanced at the German out of corner of his eye. "Wait, don't tell me. You have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Not a clue," Shinji replied. "If I did, do you think it's that obvious?"

"Other than your lack of regard for collateral damage and your love of the burnt earth policy, nope."

"Nobody likes a smart ass."

(:ii:)

Rei glanced up as her office door opened and her superior officer walked in. "You've been gone a while, ma'am," she commented.

"Shinji had something important to talk to me about," Misato stated. Rei glanced at her watch. "What?"

"Your lunch break has been over for two hours, ma'am." Misato frowned.

"What are you, my secretary?"

"No and on that topic, your secretary quit."

"Another one?"

"Maybe you shouldn't insist that they used your system of organization," Rei commented.

"What's wrong with my system of organization?" Misato demanded.

"Nothing," Rei replied. Some arguments just weren't worth having. She glanced back at Kimi. "He doesn't spend much time with her."

"He's working right now," Misato stated.

"Still, he should try to spend time with her."

"He does the best he can," Misato stated.

"It worries me how she could see his absence as so normal." Kimi turned to them.

"Do you know when dad's getting back?"

"Sometime tonight," Misato replied. Kimi nodded and turned back to her game.

"You shouldn't lie to her," Rei stated.

"I'm not," Misato protested. "Shinji's assignment is over for now. He has some time before his next one so he's going to stay here for a while."

"Where is he then?"

"He's just out meeting some friends," Misato stated.

(:ii:)

Shinji pushed the door to the bar open and smiled as he spotted his old friend. "Evening, Shinji."

"Evening," Shinji returned. "Get your stuff back?"

"Oh yeah," Naota stated. "Dan got in a bit of a scrap with that HQ dickhead, though." Shinji glanced at the younger man and he grinned.

"No problem at all," Dan stated, popping his knuckles. "They aren't very strong, are they?"

"They're pencil pushers," Shinji stated as he sat. "Have you to heard from Kita, yet?"

"Yeah," Naota replied. "He didn't want to explain everything over the phone. What's up?"

"We're getting ready for a code twelve," Shinji stated. Naota's face paled.

"I'm too old for this shit."

"Come on," Shinji replied. "This won't be so bad. They'd have to stretch their forces all over Japan to chase all of us."

"There are two teams in this city," Naota stated. "You're Kita's best field officer. They'll come here first." Shinji scratched his chin as he considered this.

"Good point. You two want to go?"

"Might as well stick around here," Naota replied. "The safest place in a firefight is behind you."

"Unless I get my hands on something with major back blast," Shinji replied. Naota looked at his watch and rose to his feet.

"I want to get to the apartment and run an inventory," he stated. "We might be here for a while and we might have to engage in a bigger fight than we anticipated."

"Alright," Shinji replied. "Be careful. You don't want to miss the party."

"Your party," Naota replied. He turned and led Dan to the front door. Shinji watch it close and cursed.

"I forgot to ask him if he wanted a MP7," Shinji climbed to his feet and ran to the door. "Hey Naota!"

"Yeah?" the man asked, pausing with his door open.

"You want an MP7?" Shinji asked. Then Dan started the car and everything turned into a fireball.

(:ii:)

"How's it going?" Misato asked as she pulled out three sodas from the fridge.

"Its good," Asuka called from the bathroom. "I just finished lightening her hair."

"This I've got to see." Misato set down the sodas and made her way to the bathroom. Kimi sat on the toilet with a towel around her shoulders. "Oh my."

"Why did you have to bleach my hair?" Kimi whined.

"Its not bleach," Asuka explained. "It's hard to dye bleach hair because it destroys the part of the hair that holds color. I think."

"You think?" Misato asked.

"Well, I've never dyed my hair." Misato did not like the younger woman's tone. "This just preps the hair by lightening the color to make the dye more vivid. Did you grab the soda?"

"Its out on the table," Misato replied. Asuka peeled off her gloves and threw them in the garbage bin.

"Thanks."

(:ii:)

Asuka picked up her soda and popped the top. This was actually kind of fun. She had always wondered what it would be like to have a younger sister. "How long before you dye her hair red?"

"The prep stuff is still working," Asuka replied. She took a drink. "Trust me."

"As far as I can throw you," Misato replied cheerfully. Asuka put down her soda and considered that response. It could be a flippant comment, or she could know something. Asuka pondered this until the front door burst open and men in black SWAT gear stormed into the room.

"Don't move!" one of them yelled in Russian-accent Japanese. Asuka glanced at the suppressed assault rifle in his hands and decided not to move.

"What's wrong?" Asuka saw the muzzle sway as the men turned to look at Misato. "Oh my God!"

"Don't. . ." Asuka drew the tiny subcompact 9mm from her waistband and fired before he could finish. The twin 9mm hollow points hit his chest dead center and the man stumbled back, but didn't go down. Asuka was diving for cover as he turned. She hit the floor behind the couch and rolled into a kneeling position.

She peaked over the back of the couch in time to hear a much louder gunshot. The round impacted the left side of the leader's helmet and tore through it with only the barest vibration. Blood poured down his head onto his shoulders. He toppled to his knees and fell flat of his face.

"Asuka!"

"What?" Asuka shouted. She swung her pistol up and fired again, aiming at their faces. Her first target caught two rounds in the face, just below his helmet.

"Get to my bedroom!" Misato screamed. "Behind my dresser." Asuka sprang to her feet and retreated towards the aforementioned room while Misato distracted the team. Whatever she had was making the heavily armed and armored men dive for cover.

Asuka kicked the door open and cursed as she nearly tripped over a skateboard lying on the ground. She grabbed the dressed and ripped it away from the wall. "Holy shit." She snatched up the assault rifle and pulled the charging handle back a little. She saw the gleam of a brass case and let the bolt carrier slam forward again. She smacked the forward assist and thumbed the safety.

Asuka pivoted back into the living room. The men had taken cover to hide from Misato, but not from Asuka. She raised the rifle and fired. Not even considered conserving her ammo or the possibility collateral damage, she lay on the trigger and felt the weapon thrum to life. The soldiers didn't stand a chance.

"Cease fire!" Asuka's finger jerked off the trigger more out of a deep rooted instinct than understanding. Misato came into view with a tiny black pistol in her hand. Asuka stepped into the room as well. She stared at one man whose arm had been torn off.

"What the hell were you shooting?"

"Something Shinji gave me," Misato replied shakily. Asuka noticed a soft sobbing in the background.

"Kimi. . ."

"She's terrified, but she's fine," Misato replied. "We're leaving."

"What?"

"Shinji made me promise to leave if something happened," Misato stated.

"He knew something was happening?" Asuka demanded.

"He was worried," Misato admitted. "He set up a plan."

"Sounds like him," Asuka commented. She looked at the men. Two out of twelve were still breathing. She turned back to Misato. "Are you okay? You seem pretty calm."

"I'm a soldier," Misato stated. "For now I'm pushing away emotions for cold, calm thinking."

"Good," Asuka replied. She walked into Shinji's room and pulled his bug out bag out of the bed. She found it attached the webbing on the pack's hip support belt. She opened the little pouch and pulled out the Gerber multi-tool inside.

"What are you doing?" Misato asked.

"I'm getting answers," Asuka stated as she pushed the bag back under the bed and walked out of the room. "Get Kimi and leave."

"What are you going to do?" Misato asked. Asuka flicked her wrist so the pliers slid into place and looked at the two survivors to see who was more conscious.

"You don't want to know," she stated. She had seen interrogations, hell, she had been given classes on it. Was she really going to do this? "Just go."

(:ii:)

Shinji jerked awake and looked around the inside of the car, feeling for his weapons as he did. "Relax." Shinji looked to his right and saw Manfred behind the wheel.

"What happened?"

"Naota's car was booby trapped," Manfred stated, sounding fuzzy and distant. "They're both gone." Shinji reached up and felt bandages covering his face.

"I feel kind of good."

"Good," Manfred replied. "I wasn't sure exactly how much of that stuff to shoot you up with, but I guess I used enough."

"Stuff?" Shinji asked.

"I got rid of the bomb on our car and found your first aid kit," Manfred stated. "I patched you up as best I could. Looks like it was my turn to give you permanent damage."

"Permanent damage?" Shinji asked. Manfred sighed.

"You're right eye is fucked," he stated flatly. "I don't know what trained paramedics could have done, but we needed to get out of there. You caught light frag in the face and some heavier frag in the right shoulder. There was blood coming from your right ear, but your pupils aren't dilated, so I think it's a shattered eardrum. You must have had something between you and the bomb."

"I think there was a mailbox," Shinji replied as his fingers explored the bandages on his shoulder. It was a sloppy job, but showed good knowledge.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Use a lifeline," Shinji replied as he dug out his cell phone. His first call was Misato's apartment.

"Hello?"

"Asuka?"

"Yeah," the German replied. "Are you okay?"

"Not really, why?" Shinji asked with a growing sense of dread.

"We were attacked," Asuka stated. "Russian mercenaries. Misato grabbed Kimi and she's gone. She said something about a plan you had." Shinji sank back in his seat, feeling relief, or possibly the drugs, wash over him and set him more at ease.

"Is everyone okay?"

"We are, they aren't," Asuka stated flatly. "I tried to question them, but they didn't know who hired them. I was trying to get the name of their company, but I think I pushed them too hard. What happened to you?"

"I got blown up," Shinji replied.

"Oh my god."

"I'm fine," Shinji stated. "I just got a little banged up. Get to NERV. You should be safe there, even at this time of night they have a good security system set up."

"Alright."

"Contact your embassy and get out of country," Shinji added. "Something's going down and you don't want to be in the middle of it."

"Okay." Shinji stated to reach for the end call button, "Shinji?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself."

"I always do." Shinji pushed the button. He brought the phone down and punched in a second number. Now that the personal business was out of the way, it was time to find out what he should do.

(:ii:)

Nagao jerked as his phone began to vibrate wildly. He pulled it out and flicked it open. "Kita."

"I got blown up."

"Ah." Nagao considered this carefully. "How many pieces are you in?"

"Still just one," Shinji replied. Nagao pushed the button on his desk and Nanasawa peeked his head into the office.

"Get somebody to meet Ikari," Nagao ordered. "He needs to be brought it."

"Yes, sir," Nanasawa replied.

"What happened?"

"Somebody hooked a bomb into Naota and Dan's car."

"Are they. . ."

"Yeah." Nagao leaned back in his seat and began to feel his age, not a good thing. "Somebody tried to go after my daughter."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Shinji replied. "I wouldn't leave her with someone who couldn't handle tough situations." Nanasawa reappeared.

"The armory officer is still down there, sir," he explained. "He says to tell Ikari to meet him at the last place they saw each other." Nagao nodded.

"Your buddy from the armory is waiting for you at the last place you met," he repeated. "He'll bring you in."

"Do you think coming in is the right idea?" Shinji asked.

"I don't know," Nagao replied. "You're hurt. Ask your buddy to get you to a hospital, but stay off the drugs and keep your guns."

"Roger." Nagao flipped his phone shut and stood up. He needed to get some sleep. He hadn't slept in days and things were starting to go a little strange on him. He had spent days on the battlefield going and going on adrenaline alone. Behind a desk it wasn't nearly that easy.

"I'm going home.

"Get some rest, sir," Nanasawa replied. Nagao nodded and made his way down the hall to the elevator. He took it to the sub-basement's parking garage and started for his car.

"Mister Kita?" Nagao turned and saw two men in black suits. One of them was going for a gun. It was laughably clumsy, only the gun coming up towards his face made it a whole lot less funny. Nagao decided it was time to use his ace in the hole. The two men stared at the grenade in his hand and then at the pin falling to the ground. Their hesitation gave Nagao just enough time to pull his pistol and fire.

"Well," Nagao began as he stared at the corpses, "I hope they didn't pay you two too much." He carefully wedged the pin back in place and pulled out his cell phone. He stuck the grenade back in his coat and punched in Nanasawa's number.

"Sir?"

"Two idiots just tried to kill me in the parking lot," Nagao stated. The lights flickered. "Oh shit." The lights snapped off. Than a klaxon began to wail.

"All personnel, this is a code twelve situation! All personnel, this is a code twelve situation!"

"Did you sound the alarms?" Naota asked.

"Yes sir," Nanasawa replied. Then static filled the phone as someone began scrambling the signals. Nagao cursed. He needed to get back to his office and warn his people!

(:ii:)

"Here we are." Shinji climbed slowly out of the car and looked around the shipyard. The drugs were starting to fade and his whole body hurt. "Where's your friend?"

"Over here!" Shinji turned and saw Kensuke waving at him as he walked towards them. "You look like hamburger."

"Thanks," Shinji replied.

"Where's Takeo?"

"He's dead," Shinji replied. He leaned back against the car. "Did you get a standard operating procedure for this with drawl?"

"Yeah," Kensuke replied as he kneeled by the car's rear wheel and opened the case he was carrying. "We'll rig a bomb to the car and get out."

"Why blow up the car?"

"We're traveling light," Kensuke stated. "We aren't bringing all the weapons, so we're going to blow them up so no one else can have them."

"This is why government agencies are always in debt," Shinji grumbled.

"No kidding," Manfred stated. Shinji phone vibrated and he fished it out. The front screen showed Nagao's number. He flipped it open. Instead of a call it was a text message. Shinji stared at the message barely long enough to comprehend it before he dropped the phone and went for his Mk. 23. There was a gunshot and Manfred tumbled to the ground.

The split second difficulty Shinji had in drawing his Mk. 23 with his left hand bought him a slug in the chest as he pivoted towards Kensuke. The good news was; the slug wasn't blended metal. The bad news was; it was still a bullet and knocked Shinji on his ass. He landed hard and he back slammed into the side of the car. "You fucker."

"You don't understand," Kensuke replied with his twitchy smile. "They said I could be a field officer if I proved I could kill you both."

"You just killed an unsuspecting man," Shinji stated. "That's. . ."

"You've done it!" Kensuke shrieked.

"As I was saying," Shinji hissed, fighting the black spots as the edge of his vision. "That's easy. Real officers can get close and stare a man in the eyes as they kill him."

"I can do that!" Kensuke stepped forward and pressed the muzzle of his suppressed pistol against Shinji's forehead. Shinji smirked. There was simply no way that human reflexes could react fast enough at that range. Shinji jerked his head to the left and Kensuke fired. The round bit into the car and Shinji was sure the gunshot would have deafened him if his right ear wasn't already deaf. Kensuke tried to follow Shinji, but it was too late. Shinji was on his feet, one hand blocking Kensuke's arm and the other driving a knife into his friend's chest. Shinji really only had the strength for the one strike. He fell back down as Kensuke grabbed for the knife, still buried to the hilt in his chest.

Shinji could see the panic in the man's eyes as blood course out of his mouth and down his chin. Shinji could hear air whistling out of Kensuke's punctured lung. It was fatal, but slow. If Kensuke managed to get his head back together, he might just finish the job. Shinji doubted it would happen. Apparently, so did someone else.

For the second time that night and approximately the fifth time in his life, everything turned into a massive fireball.

-End

(:ii:)

-Author's notes. Too much? I thought it might be for one chapter, but. . .well. . .I'm not too bright I guess. Maybe its just me thinking that. Maybe you'll like it.


	16. Chapter 16: Mother

I don't own anything.

Intelligence

-Chapter Sixteen: Mother

For Shinji, waking up was yet another thing that separated himself from most people. Shinji came to his senses sharply, but instead of opening his eyes, he listened. He could hear the steady beeping of some machine. He could also hear the quiet breathing of someone nearby. If they weren't asleep, they soon would be.

Shinji opened his one good eye slowly. He looked around the room and spotted the person sleeping by his bedside. "Rei?" The blue haired woman jerked awake.

"You're awake,"

"How long was I out?" Shinji asked.

"Three days," Rei replied.

"How'd I live?"

"Sohryu was on her way to the Geo-Front when the docks were destroyed," Rei stated. "She arrived at the docks before the authorities and called in to NERV. The Commander scrambled Section-2. Sohryu found you in the water and administered CPR."

"I'll be damned," Shinji murmured. "So, how exactly did I not die? The bomb was attached to the car. I was leaning on the car."

"The whole dock was wired," Rei explained. "It looks like they didn't have a lot of explosives and they weren't sure exactly where you'd be. The car shielded you from the blast until the dock gave way."

"What about Manfred?" Shinji asked.

"You were the only one found alive," Rei stated.

"Ah." Rei rose from her chair and walked over to the television.

"There's something you should see," she stated. "They've been playing it non-stop." Shinji stared at the news anchor and the picture of Nagao.

"And the search continues for government agents suspected of sympathizing with the traitor Nagao Kita," the anchor stated. "The government has released more footage of the raid on the building."

"Turn it off," Shinji growled. Rei did as she was told. She walked to the door and slid it open. Asuka nearly fell back in shock.

"Please come in," Rei ordered quietly. Asuka nodded and walked into the room. Shinji nodded to her and turned back to Rei.

"That's who you worked for, isn't it?" Rei asked. "The Commander has had to turn aside several inquiries about your location." Shinji nodded.

"What's the ISDF saying about him?"

"The story is he was recruiting disgraced soldiers for a military coup," Asuka stated.

"Of course it is."

"Why go through all that?" Asuka asked. "Why not a quiet take down?"

"Nagao wouldn't have gone quietly," Shinji stated. "The field officers were loyal to him. Any attempt to take them down would have devolved into a firefight."

"And they needed an explanation for all the good guys who were killed," Asuka finished. Shinji nodded and swung his feet out of bed. The pain almost sent him tumbling to the ground.

"Doctor Akagi said that you shouldn't leave your bed," Rei stated.

"I've been ignoring doctors for a long time," Shinji stated.

"Look," Asuka began, "cut the He Man shit. The only reason you aren't a mess of broken bones, is that you're almost half titanium. That aside, you still have six busted ribs and some serious lacerations."

"I've had worse," Shinji stated.

"You're the only man who can say that and have me believe them," Asuka commented.

"What about my eye?"

"You'll never regain any vision in it," Rei replied. Shinji nodded his understanding and tried to stand.

"Stay put!" Asuka snapped. The door opened and a gray-haired man stepped inside. Shinji straightened up as best he could.

"Listen to the ladies," the man ordered. "You ain't immortal, just too tough for your own good."

"Yes sir."

(:ii:)

"I will report that you have awoken to Commander Ikari," Rei stated. She nodded to the man and walked out.

"Who are you?" Asuka stared at the older man who had just put Shinji in his place.

"I'm General Shiro Kita," the man stated. "I'm the commanding officer of Sergeant Major Ikari's unit." Asuka turned to Shinji.

"Sergeant Major?" she asked.

"I've had a few promotions since I was booted," Shinji stated. "Why are you here, sir?"

"Well," Shiro began, "I was sitting at my home arguing with some dick head in the Diet about buying some new MR-Cs from the Americans when someone starts pounding on my door."

"Misato?"

"Yep," the General replied. "Of course, I didn't know her. All I know is that some lady was on my doorstep holding a sleeping girl. Anyway, I got the story out of her and grabbed one of my best teams. They're guarding her in Okinawa. Then I grabbed the next flight over."

"Thank you, sir," Shinji replied.

"Not a problem," Shiro stated. "What are we going to do about this?"

"I'm going to kill her of course," Shinji replied.

"The Chief of Staff for the ISDF?" Asuka demanded. Shinji nodded.

"Maybe we can get someone more useful in place, or at least someone who understands us." Asuka stared at the man.

"Shinji, you can't do that." Shinji turned to stared her back in the eye. "I know what you are and I know what your kind do. . ."

"You know what I am?" Shinji asked.

"You're Black," Asuka stated. "Shinji, this isn't some third world cesspool, this is Japan." Shinji and Shiro stared at her.

"I act in Japan's best interest," Shinji stated. "She isn't. She's acting out of a hatred of killing. She'll do anything to make it stop, including killing all the most dangerous people working for her. She's much rather pay off everyone than go against them."

"You think the only people we take out are outside the country?" Shiro asked. "There are threats everywhere, even in the highest echelons of own our government."

"You can't take out someone appointed by the people!" Asuka snapped.

"This isn't your country," Shiro stated. "It's not your problem."

"This is a democracy."

"Constitutional monarchy," Shinji corrected.

"Well, I'm talking about the constitutional part," Asuka stated. "The government is picked by the people. You can't do this."

"I can," Shinji replied. "And I will." Asuka stared at him. "What about me? The government is supposed to protect people."

"You're just one, Shinji. She was trying to protect everyone."

"Just one? What the fuck about my field officers? What about my boss? What about my daughter?" Asuka couldn't think of an answer. "The new person will be picked by the people as well. There is no problem."

"This sounds a lot like Rome," Asuka stated. "The soldiers can't kill everyone who goes against them.

"Not everyone tries to kill the soldiers," Shinji pointed out.

"What about the people's right to be taken care of by who they want to do it?"

"People don't really want their rights," Shiro cut in. "They may say the do, but they don't. All they want is to be protected and be able to pretend they're free. It's the exact same thing all over the world. Governments need to protect their people and they do." Asuka looked between the two soldiers.

"You're nothing but ordinary terrorists." Shinji smirked.

"Wrong. We're extraordinary terrorists."

"You're crossing your personal and professional lives," Asuka warned.

"Their fault," Shiro stated. "They attacked our personal lives first." Asuka stared at him and it hit her. Kita. He was Nagao Kita's brother. "Don't worry about this. Just go back to your country."

"This isn't right," Asuka stated.

"You were trained to be a General," Shinji stated. "You're a military politician. Of course you wouldn't understand the real world and what is necessary."

"He's a general!" Asuka snapped, pointing at Shiro. Shinji glanced at the man and actually laughed.

"General Kita is a general because they needed a general to run the unit," he stated. "The General is a mustang infantry officer with no breeding or connections. He left the military because of controversy surrounding him leading a select team of men after a death squad in Africa. They caught up with these killers of innocent people and took care of business."

"Then some fucking medic decided he had grown a conscience," Shiro stated. "He showed up at the division head quarters putting in a plea bargain and sold all of us out. Of course, that plea bargain meant what he did didn't matter and I can assure you, hell hath no wrath like a medic scorned."

"Hear, hear," Shinji commented.

"So the fucker wrote a book, got out of the army, and is, from what I hear, too scared to leave his house for fear of being killed," Shiro finished. "I'm about as much a general as you're a combat officer."

(:ii:)

Gendo Ikari glanced up as someone knocked on his door. A quick glance at the small television in one of his desk's drawers showed who was standing outside his door. Gendo pushed one of the buttons on his desk and the door swung open. "You're looking well for someone who was blown up."

"I'm a hard man to keep down," Shinji replied as he hobbled into the office.

"Indeed. Now, what do you plan to do about it?" Gendo asked curiously.

"Show off my bad temper," Shinji replied. He glanced back at the open door. Gendo pushed the button again and it slid shut.

"There are no possible means of hearing what is said here," he explained. Shinji nodded. "How is Kimi?"

"She's safe," Shinji stated. "Of course, it's the thought that counts. They were going to take her. I don't know what they would have done with her, but they wanted to take my daughter from me."

"What are you planning?" Gendo asked.

"The death of the ISDF's Chief of Staff," Shinji replied. "My. . .friend, Shiro Kita, has been unable to turn up the necessary equipment quickly enough."

"What do you need?" Gendo asked.

"What do you have?" Shinji asked.

"Anything," Gendo replied calmly. "I have anything you could want. Say it and you will get it."

"You'd do that for me?" Shinji asked. Gendo slowly leaned back in his seat and slid he glasses off.

"She attacked my family," he stated flatly. Gendo saw his son's eyebrow, the one not covered by bandages, rise in surprise. "Believe what you will," he began, "you are my son, Shinji. When I left you I made sure that it was with a good man, an old friend of your mother's. At all times I knew where you were and I knew your condition. I knew you were sad, but you were healthy. I took care of you the best way I could, by putting you in the care of a good, trusted friend. Kimi is my granddaughter and I will act with her best interests in heart. I will stay out of her life and kill all those who threaten it."

"I understand," Shinji replied. "I've understood for a while now, its just strange to here you say it."

"I understand that," Gendo replied. He pushed himself up to his feet. "Let's have a look at what NERV has on hand at the moment, shall we?"

(:ii:)

Asuka watched as the father and son walked out of the office. "You're really going through with this?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied.

"I'll help you," Asuka stated. She saw Shinji's eyebrow rise. "I sat down and I thought about it. I thought about it for a long time. You're right."

"This is going to be messy," Shinji stated.

"I'm fine with that." It really bothered her how true that was. Shinji stared at her.

"Your eyes are different," he stated. "You did something that should have horrified you and it didn't."

"I don't want to talk about it." A sick grin spread across Shinji's face.

"Maybe it did bother you, maybe you liked it." Asuka swung her fist as hard as she could. She hit Shinji on the uninjured side of his face and sent him stumbling. He hit the wall and managed to get his footing back.

"Alright. Let's go."

"Right," Gendo replied. "This way." Asuka fell in to step behind Gendo, pointedly ignoring the smirking man at her side.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere that doesn't exist," Gendo replied.

"I'm fairly sure this entire place doesn't exist," Asuka commented. Neither Gendo nor Shinji deemed that a response was necessary.

(:ii:)

Shinji looked around the massive room and whistled. There was really nothing else he could do. "You could start a war."

"I have started many wars," Gendo replied.

"You wouldn't know anything about the war in China about two years ago, would you?" Shinji asked.

"I had nothing to do with that," Gendo replied.

"Of course," Shinji replied. "I was there on business for a while. Messy little war; had all the earmarks of something personal."

"You would know things like that," Asuka stated.

"Of course I would," Shinji replied. "I've started enough wars in my time." He walked over to a large vault with a glass door. Inside he could see racks and racks of explosives. "Do you have any syntax?"

"Yes," Gendo replied. "Such an old explosive is useful for making it seem that a poorly funded group is responsible for the attack." Shinji nodded his understanding.

"Sniper rifles."

"This way." Gendo turned and led the younger man through the racks of weapon. "Here."

"Nice." Shinji picked up one of them, a cut-down, suppressed American M107 and looked it over. "M107CQ. Good rifle. What kind of ammunition due you have available?"

"Match grade armor piercing," Gendo replied. Shinji nodded and hefted the heavy weapon, checking it carefully.

"I'll take the shot," Asuka stated.

"You can't shoot worth a shit," Shinji stated. "I've read your record. You failed rifle qualification.

"I had a personal life," Asuka stated. "Several company and field grade officers had a long-distance shooting team. I can't shoot an assault rifle, but I can fire a sniper rifle fine."

"You can shoot a competition rifle," Shinji corrected.

"You can't make the shot in that condition," Asuka pointed out coolly. Shinji uncapped the .50-caliber rifle's scope and shifted it to his left hand. He kneeled and brought the weapon to his left shoulder, aiming at the far wall.

"Nice trick."

"Comes in handy." Shinji rose again. "This will do. You can be the spotter if you want, but this won't be the longest distance."

"Alright," Asuka replied. "What about the explosive?"

"General Kita will handle that. Man's got a serious yen for explosions."

"What is he going to do?"

"He's going to give us our distraction."

(:ii:)

Shinji stared out at the calm night beyond his window. Soon the night would become day. It wouldn't be too long until his target arrived. She would be standing in front of the ISDF's main HQ building to make a statement about the present situation. She could die defending her position. It was fitting enough.

Shinji flipped open his cell phone and punched in his boss's number. It only rang once. "Ikari?"

"We're set up here," Shinji stated into his wireless headset.

"I'm good down here," Shiro replied. Shinji took a deep breath and stared at where his target would be in a few hours. "What's eating you, Ikari?"

"I can't stay in the Black with this wound," Shinji stated. There was a long pause before Shiro spoke again.

"We could keep you as sniper support," he commented. Shinji had to smile.

"No sir. This kind of wound is life's way of telling you to slow down." There was a longer pause and Shinji sat down at the desk he had placed a few feet back from the window. He leaned into the Barrett's stock and stared at the area of operation.

"We'll miss you Sergeant Major."

"I'll miss you guys too. I'll get Misato and Kimi from Okinawa and then. . ."

". . .we'll never contact you again," Shiro finished. "Enjoy your life."

"I plan on it." Outside the streets were bathed in light. Shinji leaned back from his rifle. The sun was to his back, they'd never see it coming. "Range?"

"One second." Asuka pushed her eye against the range finger set up next to the rifle. "One-zero-two meters." Shinji adjusted the scope and eye-balled the distance for himself. That seemed about right.

"Wind?"

"Does it matter at this range?" Asuka asked.

"Buildings play havoc on the wind," Shinji replied. "Stories of rain going up on the top floors of the skyscrapers are true."

"Ah." Asuka returned to her range finger. "Three kilometers from the west." Shinji made a single click on his scope. "You're really going to retire?"

"You sound surprised."

"I thought men like you lived and died in the military," Asuka commented. "I thought you never got out."

"The military isn't my life," Shinji replied. "Being Kimi's father is my life." Outside, a crowd was beginning to grow. What was she thinking, making a public announcement at this time? Next to arrive were the body guards and the police. Finally she showed up. Shinji coiled around his rifle, one hand on the grip and one curled under it for support. His position also kept the pistol he had out of Asuka's sight.

"Last chance," Asuka stated. Shinji glanced up.

"Are you going to stop me?"

"No." Shinji let go of his rifle's grip and punched a number into his cell phone. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing her a favor," Shinji stated. He watched her through the scope. She hadn't been announced yet and was standing to the side. She pulled out her phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hello," Shinji replied as he set his phone down and took hold of his rifle.

"Who is this?" she asked. She sounded young. She looked young too.

"No one you'd know," Shinji replied. "I'm just a nameless face that you decided didn't need to exist anymore." Shinji saw her straighten up like a bolt of electricity had gone down her spine.

"You don't understand," she began.

"Of course I do," Shinji replied. He thumbed the rifle's safety. "Don't try to justify yourself. You'll only seem pathetic."

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted you to know why you're about to die," Shinji stated. "Everyone should know that, even if you don't think so yourself." Shinji saw her eyes widen and pulled the trigger. The massive slug hit her in the chest, causing massive amounts of damage before slapped into the concrete behind her. In an instant the scene was in chaos. Shinji ended the call and flipped his phone shut. He slipped it into his pocket and began to disassemble his rifle. Beside him, Asuka quietly packed up her scope. He knew she had seen the pistol he had been holding.

"You didn't trust me."

"Of course not," Shinji replied. He holstered the pistol. There was a massive explosion. Asuka jerked around and stared out the window. She spun back around. "There's our distraction."

"There were people out there!" she snapped.

"Exactly," Shinji replied. "Cops are life savers. They'll all be running to save people, not hunt down others." Asuka continued to stare at him and Shinji wondered if she was going to try to kill him. Suddenly the fire in her eyes was gone. She nodded her understanding.

"Let's go." Shinji nodded. He packed up his rifle and slung the pack over his shoulder. How her eyes had changed bothered him. He had trained hundreds to be soulless killers, but fore some reason, she bothered him more than any of them. Shinji pushed the door open and led them out. "Where are you going?"

"Okinawa," Shinji replied as they walked to the escalator. "You?"

"Back to Germany," Asuka replied. "I want to see my parents and friends. I haven't talked to them in too long. I think I want to find a new job. I don't think this one suits me any more than the military did." Shinji nodded his understanding.

(:ii:)

"Here we are." Shinji looked up at the mansion.

"Been spending funds on something other than guns and explosives?" Shinji asked.

"Just a little extra money I found during that Chinese incident," Shiro replied. He stopped the car and they climbed out. A man in tactical gear walked out.

"Good evening, General," he replied. He glanced at Shinji and nodded. "Sergeant Major." Shinji nodded back. "Are we done here, sir?"

"You're done," Shiro replied. The man nodded and spoke quietly into the radio. A dozen more men stepped out of the building after a few minutes. They nodded to Shiro and Shinji and made their way to several black vans parked outside of the puddles of light thrown out by the mansion's security lights. Shinji watched them disappear down the road.

"My old team," he commented.

"Still my best team," Shiro replied. He turned and led Shinji into the building.

"What kind of trouble do you think this will cause?"

"None." Shinji glanced at the man. "You remember that snake medic?"

"The one who fucked up your career?" Shiro nodded.

"He's an advisor to the Prime Minister," Shiro stated. "I gave him a call and made him an offer he couldn't refuse. He's going to launch an investigation. The investigation will discover proof that my little brother had found incriminating evidence of the Chief doing something she shouldn't have been doing. She attacked the department to recover the evidence and in return was killed by one of Nagao's officers."

"And the explosion?"

"Yakuza attempt to silence their partner," Shiro replied. "She's not the only one who can destroy a person's reputation." Shinji nodded. "They're down there. Third door on the left."

"Thanks." Shinji walked down the brightly lit hallway and found the right door. He pushed it open. Misato and Kimi were curled up in the middle of a king-sized bed. Shinji quietly pulled off his jacket and shoes. After a moment's thought he pulled off the shoulder holster he was wearing as well. He climbed onto the bed and pressed his lips against Misato's forehead. Her eyes opened and she stared up at him. Shinji had to give her credit for not flinching when her eyes traced the side of his face.

"Is it over?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Shinji replied. "I'm done."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm retired," Shinji replied. Misato smiled. She reached up slowly and wrapped an arm around his neck. Shinji let her kiss him. She pulled away. "I think Kimi needs a mom, what about you?" Misato stared at him.

"Yeah." Shinji smiled and lay down, wrapping an arm around his daughter and the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. "Rather sudden, isn't it?"

"All the years we've spent together?" Shinji asked. "I'm done with a chapter of my life. I want to start a new one. One with you and Kimi and nothing else."

"We'll talk more in the morning."

"Yeah."

-End

(:ii:)

Author's notes. Well here's the last one. I kind of enjoyed this one. This was my first real attempt of heavy plotting and planning in the story. It was kind of fun. I guess I just needed to escape what everyone kind of expects from me, i.e. Lycanthrope. Insanity is fun, but sometimes it takes a little too much out of me.


End file.
